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.

Infant mortality rate in South Korea

Name: Infant mortality rate in South Korea
Creator: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

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

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.

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

See the full ranking of 199 places →

More health data for South Korea

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)
Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 0 deaths (2026)
Deaths in armed conflicts by region 0 deaths (2026)
Age population, age 25, male, interpolated 343,093 (2025)
Age population, age 25, female, interpolated 314,477 (2025)
Age population, age 24, male, interpolated 328,684 (2025)
Age population, age 24, female, interpolated 299,106 (2025)
Age population, age 23, male, interpolated 295,765 (2025)
Age population, age 23, female, interpolated 267,725 (2025)

All data for South Korea →

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

Indicator: Infant mortality rate
Unit: deaths per 100 live births
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 199 places, 13,185 data points, 1931–2024
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The estimated number of deaths of children aged under one year, per 100 live births .