Maternal mortality ratio in South Korea
South Korea: Maternal mortality ratio was 8.12 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Maternal mortality ratio in South Korea, 1985–2020
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 live births.
Analysis
In 2020, maternal mortality ratio in South Korea stood at 8.12 deaths per 100,000 live births.
The figure is up 27.6% on the previous year and down 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, maternal mortality ratio in South Korea peaked at 39.75 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1987 and was at its lowest, 6.08 deaths per 100,000 live births, in 2016.
That places South Korea 149th out of 185 countries with data for 2020, putting it 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 37.72 deaths per 100,000 live births | 34.03 deaths per 100,000 live births | 39.75 deaths per 100,000 live births | 5 |
| 1990s | 23.18 deaths per 100,000 live births | 19.16 deaths per 100,000 live births | 30.79 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.56 deaths per 100,000 live births | 8.9 deaths per 100,000 live births | 16.55 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.16 deaths per 100,000 live births | 6.08 deaths per 100,000 live births | 9.6 deaths per 100,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.12 deaths per 100,000 live births | 8.12 deaths per 100,000 live births | 8.12 deaths per 100,000 live births | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 146 Lithuania 8.66 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 147 Finland 8.34 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 148 Albania 8.28 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 150 France 7.91 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 151 Greece 7.65 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
- 152 Qatar 7.61 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is maternal mortality ratio in South Korea?
- Maternal mortality ratio in South Korea was 8.12 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, according to UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest maternal mortality ratio recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 39.75 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1987.
- What is the lowest maternal mortality ratio recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.08 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2016.
- How does South Korea rank for maternal mortality ratio?
- South Korea ranks 149th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is maternal mortality ratio rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UN MMEIG (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The estimated maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.