Quick facts
Cheongju-si overview
Cheongju-si (orange) and the other large cities of South Korea
Cheongju-si lies in North Chungcheong in South Korea at 36.64°N, 127.49°E, about 49 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Seoul (UTC+9); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Seongnam-si (914,832) and larger than Bucheon-si (850,731). The largest city in South Korea is Seoul with 10,349,312 people; the capital, Seoul, has 10,349,312.
The national capital, Seoul, is about 113 km away; the nearest large city is Sejong, 18 km from Cheongju-si.
South Korea as a whole has a live population of 51,579,911 (-0.1% a year) and ranks #31 of 238 countries — see the South Korea population page for the full statistics and the South Korea atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Cheongju-si
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Sejong Sejong-si | 18 km | 394,630 |
| Daejeon Daejeon | 33 km | 1,441,203 |
| Cheonan Chungcheongnam-do | 35 km | 658,831 |
| Pyeongtaek Gyeonggi-do | 53 km | 364,694 |
| Chungju North Chungcheong | 54 km | 209,483 |
| Sangju Gyeongsangbuk-do | 65 km | 101,267 |
| Osan Gyeonggi-do | 68 km | 238,788 |
| Icheon-si Gyeonggi-do | 72 km | 196,230 |
Largest cities in South Korea
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Cheongju-si?
Cheongju-si has about 852,147 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Cheongju-si the capital of South Korea?
No. The capital of South Korea is Seoul (10,349,312 people), about 113 km away. Cheongju-si is the 12th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Cheongju-si compared with the rest of South Korea?
Its 852,147 residents are 1.7% of the 51,579,911 people living in South Korea today. Seoul is larger with 10,349,312 people.
Where is Cheongju-si?
In North Chungcheong, South Korea, at latitude 36.64 and longitude 127.49, 49 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Sejong (18 km), Daejeon (33 km), Cheonan (35 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Cheongju-si Population 2026 — South Korea. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/south-korea/cheongju-si/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/south-korea/cheongju-si/">Cheongju-si Population 2026 — South Korea</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.