Life expectancy at birth, by sex in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Life expectancy at birth, by sex was 81.19 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
81.19 years
Change on year
up 2.0%
World rank
18th
of 236 countries
All-time high
81.19 years
in 2023
All-time low
17.47 years
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Life expectancy at birth, by sex in Republic of Korea, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
Republic of Korea recorded 81.19 years for life expectancy at birth, by sex in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy at birth, by sex in Republic of Korea peaked at 81.19 years in 2023 and was at its lowest, 17.47 years, in 1950.
Republic of Korea ranks 18th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Life expectancy at birth, by sex in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 17.47 years | — |
| 1951 | 20.98 years | +20.0% |
| 1952 | 31.7 years | +51.1% |
| 1953 | 36.83 years | +16.2% |
| 1954 | 43.94 years | +19.3% |
| 1955 | 46.2 years | +5.1% |
| 1956 | 48.06 years | +4.0% |
| 1957 | 49.45 years | +2.9% |
| 1958 | 49.54 years | +0.2% |
| 1959 | 50.57 years | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 51.38 years | +1.6% |
| 1961 | 52.03 years | +1.3% |
| 1962 | 52.65 years | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 52.5 years | -0.3% |
| 1964 | 52.66 years | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 52.89 years | +0.4% |
| 1966 | 52.46 years | -0.8% |
| 1967 | 57.24 years | +9.1% |
| 1968 | 57.15 years | -0.1% |
| 1969 | 57.72 years | +1.0% |
| 1970 | 58.47 years | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 58.9 years | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 59.35 years | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 59.85 years | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 60.24 years | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 60.6 years | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 60.88 years | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 60.34 years | -0.9% |
| 1978 | 60.48 years | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 61.46 years | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 60.53 years | -1.5% |
| 1981 | 62.43 years | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 62.51 years | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 62.32 years | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 63.69 years | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 63.92 years | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 64.54 years | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 64.92 years | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 65.71 years | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 66.34 years | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 66.79 years | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 67.24 years | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 68.06 years | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 68.61 years | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 68.79 years | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 69.34 years | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 70.01 years | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 70.51 years | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 71.01 years | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 71.68 years | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 72.32 years | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 72.99 years | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 73.42 years | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 73.84 years | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 74.28 years | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 74.84 years | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 75.4 years | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 75.86 years | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 76.32 years | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 76.9 years | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 77.06 years | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 77.51 years | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 77.69 years | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 78.23 years | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 78.74 years | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 79.02 years | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 79.44 years | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 79.85 years | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 79.94 years | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 80.34 years | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 80.28 years | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 80.52 years | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 79.57 years | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 81.19 years | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 39.47 years | 17.47 years | 50.57 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 53.87 years | 51.38 years | 57.72 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 60.06 years | 58.47 years | 61.46 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 63.69 years | 60.53 years | 66.34 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 69.2 years | 66.79 years | 71.68 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 74.62 years | 72.32 years | 76.9 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.78 years | 77.06 years | 80.34 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 80.39 years | 79.57 years | 81.19 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near Republic of Korea
More health data for Republic of 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)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 2,072 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 69 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.0327 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, annual growth rate 1.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per capita 0.0379 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy at birth, by sex in Republic of Korea?
- Life expectancy at birth, by sex in Republic of Korea was 81.19 years in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy at birth, by sex recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 81.19 years in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy at birth, by sex recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.47 years in 1950.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for life expectancy at birth, by sex?
- Republic of Korea ranks 18th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy at birth, by sex rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy at birth, by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Period life expectancy at birth.