South Korea’s Catholic Population Reaches 6 Million, but Decline in Participation and Vocations Signals Growing Challenges

South Korea’s Catholic population surpasses 6 million, yet declining Mass attendance, fewer vocations, and an aging faithful highlight urgent challenges for the Church.

Newsroom (30/04/2026 Gaudium Press) South Korea’s Catholic population has surpassed 6 million, marking a significant milestone 50 years after the faithful first reached 1 million in 1975. However, new data reveals that this growth is accompanied by mounting challenges, including declining participation, fewer religious vocations, and a rapidly aging demographic.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea released its latest statistics on April 22, drawing from 2025 data. As of December 31, 2025, the number of Catholics stood at 6,006,832. Despite this milestone, growth has slowed considerably, with an increase of just 0.2 percent in 2025 compared to 0.5 percent the previous year.

A key concern is the age distribution within the Church. Nearly one-third of Korean Catholics, or 28.9 percent, are aged 65 or older, making them the largest demographic group. This reflects broader national trends, as South Korea faces a demographic crisis driven by one of the world’s lowest fertility rates. In 2025, the country’s fertility rate stood at 0.80—slightly higher than the record low of 0.72 in 2023 but still far below the 2.1 level needed to sustain population stability.

Religious participation is also declining. Only about 15 percent of Catholics attend Sunday Mass, a sharp drop from 20.7 percent in 2015. The decline is evident across dioceses, with the notable exception of the Military Ordinariate, where attendance reaches 97 percent, largely due to the participation of soldiers.

Attendance at major Christian feast days such as Easter and Christmas remains higher, at approximately 25 percent. However, this too represents a significant decrease from pre-pandemic levels, when nearly 80 percent of Catholics attended these celebrations in 2019.

The Church is also experiencing a steady decline in priestly vocations. In 2025, only 70 priests were ordained, down from 121 in 2015—a decrease of 42.1 percent. Notably, four dioceses—Chuncheon, Wonju, Andong, and Jeju—did not ordain any new priests during the year.

The number of seminarians has also fallen. In 2025, there were 854 seminarians, 45 fewer than the previous year. For four consecutive years since 2022, fewer than 100 new students have entered seminaries annually.

Religious vocations beyond the priesthood are also declining. The number of male and female religious dropped to 11,170 in 2025, a decrease of 187 from the previous year. Compared to 2015, the number of female novices has fallen by 61.5 percent, while male novices have declined by 40.7 percent. This downward trend has persisted since 2022.

In its statistical analysis, the bishops’ conference described the 6 million milestone not as a culmination, but as “the starting point of the challenges facing the Church.” The report emphasized the urgency of re-engaging inactive members, stating that “the recovery of lapsed and inactive believers is an urgent task.”

It further noted that the question of how to reintegrate those who have drifted away from sacramental life “can no longer be ignored,” framing it as a critical pastoral priority.

The data suggests that while the Catholic Church in South Korea has achieved numerical growth over the past five decades, it now faces a complex set of structural and demographic challenges that could shape its future trajectory.

• Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News

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