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) and other sources – with major processing 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 152nd out of 189 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) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Maternal mortality ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Maternal mortality ratio in South Korea

Name: Maternal mortality ratio in South Korea
Creator: UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Korea: Maternal mortality ratio was 8.12 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)

8.12 deaths per 100,000 live births

Change on year

up 27.6%

World rank

152nd

of 189 countries

All-time high

39.75 deaths per 100,000 live births

in 1987

All-time low

6.08 deaths per 100,000 live births

in 2016

Years of data

1985–2020

Maternal mortality ratio in South Korea, 1985–2020

Source: UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 live births.

Analysis

South Korea recorded 8.12 deaths per 100,000 live births for maternal mortality ratio in 2020.

Compared with earlier readings it 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.

South Korea ranks 152nd of 189 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
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

149 Lithuania 8.66 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
150 Finland 8.34 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
151 Albania 8.28 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
153 France 7.91 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
154 Greece 7.65 deaths per 100,000 live births compare
155 Qatar 7.61 deaths per 100,000 live births compare

See the full ranking of 189 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 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) and other sources – with major processing 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 152nd out of 189 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) and other sources – with major processing 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

Indicator: Maternal mortality ratio
Unit: deaths per 100,000 live births
Source: UN MMEIG (2023) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 189 places, 8,868 data points, 1751–2020
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The estimated number of women who die from maternal conditions per 100,000 live births, based on data from death certificates, large-scale surveys, and statistical modeling.