South Korea farming households climb to 1.27 million in 2025 as land per family shrinks
South Korea's farming, forestry and fishing households rose to 1.27 million in 2025, a gain of 210,000 over five years, while average cultivated land per household fell to its lowest level in 65 years.
According to data released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics, South Korea counted 1.27 million farming, forestry and fishing households in 2025, an increase of 210,000 compared with five years prior and accounting for 5 percent of the country's total population. The broader group of such households totaled 2.57 million, up 191,000 in the same period. Seniors aged 65 and over now represent 51 percent of the farming and fishing population, a rise of nine percentage points, underscoring the aging of rural communities.
The average cultivated land per farming household fell to 0.87 hectares, down 0.2 hectares from 2020 and the lowest level since 1960, a trend officials linked to the aging demographic. Income data showed that 12.4 percent of farming households generated more than 30 million won (about US$22,000) from agricultural and livestock activities, while the corresponding share among fishing households was 27.7 percent.
Why it matters
The shift reveals growing numbers of small, aging farms, affecting South Korea's agricultural productivity and rural economy.
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