Life expectancy men women in South Korea
South Korea: Life expectancy men women was 87.16 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
87.16
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
4th
of 236 countries
All-time high
87.16
in 2023
All-time low
34.57
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Life expectancy men women in South Korea, 1950–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 87.16 for life expectancy men women in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy men women in South Korea peaked at 87.16 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 34.57, in 1950.
That places South Korea 4th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Life expectancy men women in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 34.57 | — |
| 1951 | 38.19 | +10.5% |
| 1952 | 42.93 | +12.4% |
| 1953 | 44.84 | +4.5% |
| 1954 | 48.42 | +8.0% |
| 1955 | 50.7 | +4.7% |
| 1956 | 52.53 | +3.6% |
| 1957 | 53.81 | +2.4% |
| 1958 | 54.35 | +1.0% |
| 1959 | 55.52 | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 56.34 | +1.5% |
| 1961 | 57.05 | +1.3% |
| 1962 | 57.58 | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 57.67 | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 58.26 | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 58.99 | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 58.74 | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 64.8 | +10.3% |
| 1968 | 64.92 | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 65.44 | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 66.15 | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 66.7 | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 67.38 | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 67.99 | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 68.55 | +0.8% |
| 1975 | 69.07 | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 69.51 | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 69.38 | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 70.01 | +0.9% |
| 1979 | 71.29 | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 69.67 | -2.3% |
| 1981 | 72.32 | +3.8% |
| 1982 | 72.03 | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 71.53 | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 72.81 | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 73.22 | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 73.84 | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 73.99 | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 74.87 | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 75.25 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 75.39 | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 75.77 | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 76.43 | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 77 | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 77.13 | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 77.51 | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 78.11 | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 78.61 | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 79.11 | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 79.56 | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 80.14 | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 80.82 | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 80.98 | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 81.08 | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 81.56 | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 81.96 | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 82.55 | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 82.85 | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 83.51 | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 84 | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 84.19 | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 84.62 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 84.71 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 85.19 | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 85.7 | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 85.77 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 86.09 | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 86.39 | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 86.45 | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 86.74 | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 86.8 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 86.92 | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 85.77 | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 87.16 | +1.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 87.16 is above the median for high income countries, which is 83.13, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 87.16 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 75.84, 1.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 47.59 | 34.57 | 55.52 | 10 |
| 1960s | 59.98 | 56.34 | 65.44 | 10 |
| 1970s | 68.6 | 66.15 | 71.29 | 10 |
| 1980s | 72.95 | 69.67 | 75.25 | 10 |
| 1990s | 77.46 | 75.39 | 79.56 | 10 |
| 2000s | 81.94 | 80.14 | 84 | 10 |
| 2010s | 85.58 | 84.19 | 86.74 | 10 |
| 2020s | 86.66 | 85.77 | 87.16 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 1 Monaco 88.5 compare
- 2 Hong Kong 88.13 compare
- 3 Japan 87.74 compare
- 5 San Marino 87.1 compare
- 6 Saint Barthelemy 86.81 compare
- 7 French Polynesia 86.5 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 life expectancy men women in South Korea?
- Life expectancy men women in South Korea was 87.16 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy men women recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 87.16 in 2023.
- What is the lowest life expectancy men women recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.57 in 1950.
- How does South Korea rank for life expectancy men women?
- South Korea ranks 4th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy men women rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy men women. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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