Infant mortality rate in South Korea
South Korea: Infant mortality rate was 0.2328 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0.2328 deaths per 100 live births
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
183rd
of 199 countries
All-time high
17.8 deaths per 100 live births
in 1951
All-time low
0.2328 deaths per 100 live births
in 2024
Years of data
74
1951–2024
Infant mortality rate in South 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 in South Korea is 0.2328 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 1.7% on the previous year and down 20.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, infant mortality rate in South Korea peaked at 17.8 deaths per 100 live births in 1951 and was at its lowest, 0.2328 deaths per 100 live births, in 2024.
South Korea ranks 183rd 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 in South Korea, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 17.8 deaths per 100 live births | — |
| 1952 | 15.39 deaths per 100 live births | -13.5% |
| 1953 | 13.4 deaths per 100 live births | -13.0% |
| 1954 | 11.77 deaths per 100 live births | -12.2% |
| 1955 | 10.49 deaths per 100 live births | -10.9% |
| 1956 | 9.51 deaths per 100 live births | -9.3% |
| 1957 | 8.76 deaths per 100 live births | -8.0% |
| 1958 | 8.2 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1959 | 7.77 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 1960 | 7.44 deaths per 100 live births | -4.2% |
| 1961 | 7.18 deaths per 100 live births | -3.6% |
| 1962 | 6.94 deaths per 100 live births | -3.3% |
| 1963 | 6.7 deaths per 100 live births | -3.4% |
| 1964 | 6.44 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 1965 | 6.15 deaths per 100 live births | -4.5% |
| 1966 | 5.84 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 1967 | 5.51 deaths per 100 live births | -5.7% |
| 1968 | 5.17 deaths per 100 live births | -6.1% |
| 1969 | 4.84 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1970 | 4.53 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1971 | 4.25 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 1972 | 4.01 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 1973 | 3.81 deaths per 100 live births | -4.9% |
| 1974 | 3.65 deaths per 100 live births | -4.4% |
| 1975 | 3.5 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 1976 | 3.36 deaths per 100 live births | -3.9% |
| 1977 | 3.23 deaths per 100 live births | -4.0% |
| 1978 | 3.09 deaths per 100 live births | -4.3% |
| 1979 | 2.94 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 1980 | 2.78 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 1981 | 2.61 deaths per 100 live births | -6.2% |
| 1982 | 2.43 deaths per 100 live births | -6.9% |
| 1983 | 2.25 deaths per 100 live births | -7.5% |
| 1984 | 2.06 deaths per 100 live births | -8.0% |
| 1985 | 1.89 deaths per 100 live births | -8.5% |
| 1986 | 1.72 deaths per 100 live births | -8.8% |
| 1987 | 1.57 deaths per 100 live births | -8.9% |
| 1988 | 1.43 deaths per 100 live births | -8.7% |
| 1989 | 1.31 deaths per 100 live births | -8.6% |
| 1990 | 1.2 deaths per 100 live births | -8.2% |
| 1991 | 1.11 deaths per 100 live births | -8.0% |
| 1992 | 1.02 deaths per 100 live births | -7.8% |
| 1993 | 0.9413 deaths per 100 live births | -7.7% |
| 1994 | 0.8701 deaths per 100 live births | -7.6% |
| 1995 | 0.8061 deaths per 100 live births | -7.4% |
| 1996 | 0.7487 deaths per 100 live births | -7.1% |
| 1997 | 0.6975 deaths per 100 live births | -6.8% |
| 1998 | 0.6526 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 1999 | 0.6141 deaths per 100 live births | -5.9% |
| 2000 | 0.581 deaths per 100 live births | -5.4% |
| 2001 | 0.5518 deaths per 100 live births | -5.0% |
| 2002 | 0.5236 deaths per 100 live births | -5.1% |
| 2003 | 0.4949 deaths per 100 live births | -5.5% |
| 2004 | 0.4653 deaths per 100 live births | -6.0% |
| 2005 | 0.435 deaths per 100 live births | -6.5% |
| 2006 | 0.4058 deaths per 100 live births | -6.7% |
| 2007 | 0.3799 deaths per 100 live births | -6.4% |
| 2008 | 0.3586 deaths per 100 live births | -5.6% |
| 2009 | 0.3415 deaths per 100 live births | -4.8% |
| 2010 | 0.3283 deaths per 100 live births | -3.8% |
| 2011 | 0.318 deaths per 100 live births | -3.2% |
| 2012 | 0.309 deaths per 100 live births | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 0.3007 deaths per 100 live births | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 0.2929 deaths per 100 live births | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 0.2856 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 0.2785 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 0.2717 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 0.2648 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 0.2581 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2020 | 0.2517 deaths per 100 live births | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 0.2459 deaths per 100 live births | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 0.241 deaths per 100 live births | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 0.2368 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
| 2024 | 0.2328 deaths per 100 live births | -1.7% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.2328 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.3612 deaths per 100 live births, 64% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.2328 deaths per 100 live births is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.39 deaths per 100 live births, 17% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 11.45 deaths per 100 live births | 7.77 deaths per 100 live births | 17.8 deaths per 100 live births | 9 |
| 1960s | 6.22 deaths per 100 live births | 4.84 deaths per 100 live births | 7.44 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.64 deaths per 100 live births | 2.94 deaths per 100 live births | 4.53 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 2 deaths per 100 live births | 1.31 deaths per 100 live births | 2.78 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8659 deaths per 100 live births | 0.6141 deaths per 100 live births | 1.2 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4537 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3415 deaths per 100 live births | 0.581 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2908 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2581 deaths per 100 live births | 0.3283 deaths per 100 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2417 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2328 deaths per 100 live births | 0.2517 deaths per 100 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 180 Spain 0.2621 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 181 North Macedonia 0.2457 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 182 Andorra 0.2419 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 184 Italy 0.2293 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 185 Monaco 0.2209 deaths per 100 live births compare
- 186 Singapore 0.2204 deaths per 100 live births 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)
- 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)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is infant mortality rate in South Korea?
- Infant mortality rate in South Korea was 0.2328 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 recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 17.8 deaths per 100 live births in 1951.
- What is the lowest infant mortality rate recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2328 deaths per 100 live births in 2024.
- How does South Korea rank for infant mortality rate?
- South Korea ranks 183rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is infant mortality rate rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South 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. 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).
About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged under one year, per 100 live births .