Infant mortality rate by sex in Korea
Korea: Infant mortality rate by sex was 0.2095 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.2095 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
184th
of 199 countries
All-time high
16.91 deaths per 100 live births
in 1951
All-time low
0.2095 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
74
1951–2024
Infant mortality rate by sex in Korea, 1951–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for infant mortality rate by sex in Korea is 0.2095 deaths per 100 live births, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 21.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate by sex in Korea peaked at 16.91 deaths per 100 live births in 1951 and was at its lowest, 0.2095 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
Korea ranks 184th of 199 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Infant mortality rate by sex in Korea, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 16.91 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1952 | 14.64 deaths per 100 live births | -13.4% |
| 1953 | 12.73 deaths per 100 live births | -13.0% |
| 1954 | 11.15 deaths per 100 live births | -12.4% |
| 1955 | 9.9 deaths per 100 live births | -11.2% |
| 1956 | 8.94 deaths per 100 live births | -9.7% |
| 1957 | 8.21 deaths per 100 live births | -8.1% |
| 1958 | 7.67 deaths per 100 live births | -6.6% |
| 1959 | 7.26 deaths per 100 live births | -5.3% |
| 1960 | 6.94 deaths per 100 live births | -4.4% |
| 1961 | 6.68 deaths per 100 live births | -3.7% |
| 1962 | 6.45 deaths per 100 live births | -3.5% |
| 1963 | 6.22 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1964 | 5.97 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 1965 | 5.7 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1966 | 5.4 deaths per 100 live births | -5.2% |
| 1967 | 5.09 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 1968 | 4.77 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 1969 | 4.46 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 1970 | 4.17 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 1971 | 3.91 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 1972 | 3.68 deaths per 100 live births | -5.7% |
| 1973 | 3.5 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 1974 | 3.34 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 1975 | 3.2 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1976 | 3.08 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 1977 | 2.95 deaths per 100 live births | -4.1% |
| 1978 | 2.82 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1979 | 2.68 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 1980 | 2.53 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1981 | 2.38 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 1982 | 2.21 deaths per 100 live births | -7.0% |
| 1983 | 2.04 deaths per 100 live births | -7.5% |
| 1984 | 1.88 deaths per 100 live births | -8.0% |
| 1985 | 1.72 deaths per 100 live births | -8.5% |
| 1986 | 1.57 deaths per 100 live births | -8.7% |
| 1987 | 1.43 deaths per 100 live births | -8.9% |
| 1988 | 1.31 deaths per 100 live births | -8.6% |
| 1989 | 1.2 deaths per 100 live births | -8.4% |
| 1990 | 1.1 deaths per 100 live births | -8.1% |
| 1991 | 1.01 deaths per 100 live births | -7.8% |
| 1992 | 0.9381 deaths per 100 live births | -7.6% |
| 1993 | 0.8683 deaths per 100 live births | -7.4% |
| 1994 | 0.8029 deaths per 100 live births | -7.5% |
| 1995 | 0.7459 deaths per 100 live births | -7.1% |
| 1996 | 0.6929 deaths per 100 live births | -7.1% |
| 1997 | 0.6483 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1998 | 0.6102 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 1999 | 0.5745 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 2000 | 0.5437 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 2001 | 0.5165 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 2002 | 0.4903 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 2003 | 0.4615 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 2004 | 0.4347 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 2005 | 0.4072 deaths per 100 live births | -6.3% |
| 2006 | 0.3785 deaths per 100 live births | -7.0% |
| 2007 | 0.354 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 2008 | 0.3335 deaths per 100 live births | -5.8% |
| 2009 | 0.3161 deaths per 100 live births | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 0.3015 deaths per 100 live births | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 0.2915 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 0.2836 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 0.2761 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 0.2682 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 0.2606 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 0.2532 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 0.2459 deaths per 100 live births | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 0.2389 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 0.2325 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 0.2265 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 0.2213 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 0.2168 deaths per 100 live births | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 0.213 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 0.2095 deaths per 100 live births | -1.6% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 0.2095 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.3234 deaths per 100 live births, 65% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Korea's 0.2095 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.26 deaths per 100 live births, 17% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 10.82 deaths per 100 live births | 7.26 deaths per 100 live births | 16.91 deaths per 100 live births | 9 |
| 1960s | 5.77 deaths per 100 live births | 4.46 deaths per 100 live births | 6.94 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.33 deaths per 100 live births | 2.68 deaths per 100 live births | 4.17 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.83 deaths per 100 live births | 1.2 deaths per 100 live births | 2.53 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7997 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5745 deaths per 100 live births | 1.1 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4236 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3161 deaths per 100 live births | 0.5437 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2652 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2325 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3015 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2174 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2095 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2265 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near Korea
- 181 North Macedonia 0.2308 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 182 Andorra 0.2104 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 183 Italy 0.2104 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 185 Singapore 0.2069 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 186 Latvia 0.1986 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 187 Monaco 0.1976 deaths per 100 live births compare
More health data for 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)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 69 deaths (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 infant mortality rate by sex in Korea?
- Infant mortality rate by sex in Korea was 0.2095 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 16.91 deaths per 100 live births in 1951.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate by sex recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2095 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does Korea rank for infant mortality rate by sex?
- Korea ranks 184th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate by sex rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Infant mortality rate by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of female children aged under one year, per 100 live births .