Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in South Korea
South Korea: Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth was 5.96 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
5.96
Change on year
down 3.7%
World rank
71st
of 236 countries
All-time high
17.22
in 1951
All-time low
4.36
in 1957
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in South Korea, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in South Korea is 5.96, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 14.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in South Korea peaked at 17.22 in 1951 and was at its lowest, 4.36, in 1957.
South Korea ranks 71st of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 17.1 | — |
| 1951 | 17.22 | +0.7% |
| 1952 | 11.23 | -34.8% |
| 1953 | 8.02 | -28.6% |
| 1954 | 4.48 | -44.1% |
| 1955 | 4.5 | +0.4% |
| 1956 | 4.48 | -0.6% |
| 1957 | 4.36 | -2.6% |
| 1958 | 4.81 | +10.2% |
| 1959 | 4.95 | +2.9% |
| 1960 | 4.96 | +0.2% |
| 1961 | 5.01 | +1.1% |
| 1962 | 4.92 | -1.8% |
| 1963 | 5.17 | +5.0% |
| 1964 | 5.6 | +8.3% |
| 1965 | 6.1 | +9.0% |
| 1966 | 6.27 | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 7.57 | +20.6% |
| 1968 | 7.77 | +2.7% |
| 1969 | 7.72 | -0.7% |
| 1970 | 7.68 | -0.5% |
| 1971 | 7.79 | +1.5% |
| 1972 | 8.03 | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 8.14 | +1.4% |
| 1974 | 8.31 | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 8.47 | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 8.63 | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 9.03 | +4.7% |
| 1978 | 9.52 | +5.4% |
| 1979 | 9.83 | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 9.14 | -7.0% |
| 1981 | 9.9 | +8.3% |
| 1982 | 9.53 | -3.8% |
| 1983 | 9.21 | -3.3% |
| 1984 | 9.12 | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 9.3 | +2.0% |
| 1986 | 9.3 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 9.07 | -2.5% |
| 1988 | 9.16 | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 8.91 | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 8.6 | -3.5% |
| 1991 | 8.52 | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 8.38 | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 8.39 | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 8.34 | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 8.17 | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 8.09 | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 8.11 | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 8.1 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 7.87 | -2.9% |
| 2000 | 7.82 | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 7.83 | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 7.57 | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 7.24 | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 7.28 | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 7.12 | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 7.15 | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 6.99 | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 7.19 | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 7.1 | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 7.13 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 7.11 | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 7.01 | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 6.96 | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 6.97 | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 6.75 | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 6.65 | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 6.53 | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 6.5 | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 6.4 | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 6.52 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 6.39 | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 6.19 | -3.1% |
| 2023 | 5.96 | -3.7% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 5.96 is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.98, 1.2× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 5.96 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5, 1.2× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | -44.1% | 8.02 | 4.48 |
| 1952 | -34.8% | 17.22 | 11.23 |
| 1953 | -28.6% | 11.23 | 8.02 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 8.11 | 4.36 | 17.22 | 10 |
| 1960s | 6.11 | 4.92 | 7.77 | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.54 | 7.68 | 9.83 | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.26 | 8.91 | 9.9 | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.26 | 7.87 | 8.6 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.33 | 6.99 | 7.83 | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.8 | 6.4 | 7.13 | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.27 | 5.96 | 6.52 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 68 South Sudan 5.99 compare
- 69 Taiwan 5.98 compare
- 70 Turkmenistan 5.97 compare
- 72 Uzbekistan 5.95 compare
- 73 Philippines 5.93 compare
- 74 Panama 5.9 compare
More health data for South Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.43 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1935 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 69 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.66 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0118 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.76 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0124 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in South Korea?
- Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth in South Korea was 5.96 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest difference in female and male life expectancy at birth recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 17.22 in 1951.
- What is the lowest difference in female and male life expectancy at birth recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.36 in 1957.
- How does South Korea rank for difference in female and male life expectancy at birth?
- South Korea ranks 71st out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is difference in female and male life expectancy at birth rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Difference in female and male life expectancy at birth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).