Quick facts
Gwangju overview
Gwangju (orange) and the other large cities of South Korea
Gwangju lies in South Korea at 35.15°N, 126.92°E, about 47 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Seoul (UTC+9); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Daejeon (1,441,203) and larger than Suwon (1,234,582). 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 268 km away; the nearest large city is Jeongeup, 50 km from Gwangju.
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 Gwangju
Largest cities in South Korea
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Gwangju?
Gwangju has about 1,401,235 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Gwangju the capital of South Korea?
No. The capital of South Korea is Seoul (10,349,312 people), about 268 km away. Gwangju is the 6th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Gwangju compared with the rest of South Korea?
Its 1,401,235 residents are 2.7% of the 51,579,911 people living in South Korea today. Seoul is larger with 10,349,312 people.
Where is Gwangju?
In South Korea, at latitude 35.15 and longitude 126.92, 47 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Jeongeup (50 km), Suncheon (57 km), Mokpo (61 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Gwangju Population 2026 — South Korea. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/south-korea/gwangju/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/south-korea/gwangju/">Gwangju 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.