Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births) (Mortality UN) in South Korea
South Korea: Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births) (Mortality UN) was 2.3 per 1,000 live births in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
2.3 per 1,000 live births
Change on year
down 4.2%
World rank
181st
of 197 countries
All-time high
74.4 per 1,000 live births
in 1960
All-time low
2.3 per 1,000 live births
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Mortality rate, infant in South Korea, 1960–2024
Source: UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Measured in per 1,000 live births.
Analysis
The most recent figure for mortality rate, infant in South Korea is 2.3 per 1,000 live births, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 20.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mortality rate, infant in South Korea peaked at 74.4 per 1,000 live births in 1960 and was at its lowest, 2.3 per 1,000 live births, in 2024.
That places South Korea 181st out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births) (Mortality UN) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 74.4 per 1,000 live births | — |
| 1961 | 71.8 per 1,000 live births | -3.5% |
| 1962 | 69.4 per 1,000 live births | -3.3% |
| 1963 | 67 per 1,000 live births | -3.5% |
| 1964 | 64.4 per 1,000 live births | -3.9% |
| 1965 | 61.5 per 1,000 live births | -4.5% |
| 1966 | 58.4 per 1,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 1967 | 55.1 per 1,000 live births | -5.7% |
| 1968 | 51.7 per 1,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 1969 | 48.4 per 1,000 live births | -6.4% |
| 1970 | 45.3 per 1,000 live births | -6.4% |
| 1971 | 42.5 per 1,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 1972 | 40.1 per 1,000 live births | -5.6% |
| 1973 | 38.1 per 1,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 1974 | 36.5 per 1,000 live births | -4.2% |
| 1975 | 35 per 1,000 live births | -4.1% |
| 1976 | 33.6 per 1,000 live births | -4.0% |
| 1977 | 32.3 per 1,000 live births | -3.9% |
| 1978 | 30.9 per 1,000 live births | -4.3% |
| 1979 | 29.4 per 1,000 live births | -4.9% |
| 1980 | 27.8 per 1,000 live births | -5.4% |
| 1981 | 26.1 per 1,000 live births | -6.1% |
| 1982 | 24.3 per 1,000 live births | -6.9% |
| 1983 | 22.5 per 1,000 live births | -7.4% |
| 1984 | 20.6 per 1,000 live births | -8.4% |
| 1985 | 18.9 per 1,000 live births | -8.3% |
| 1986 | 17.2 per 1,000 live births | -9.0% |
| 1987 | 15.7 per 1,000 live births | -8.7% |
| 1988 | 14.3 per 1,000 live births | -8.9% |
| 1989 | 13.1 per 1,000 live births | -8.4% |
| 1990 | 12 per 1,000 live births | -8.4% |
| 1991 | 11.1 per 1,000 live births | -7.5% |
| 1992 | 10.2 per 1,000 live births | -8.1% |
| 1993 | 9.4 per 1,000 live births | -7.8% |
| 1994 | 8.7 per 1,000 live births | -7.4% |
| 1995 | 8.1 per 1,000 live births | -6.9% |
| 1996 | 7.5 per 1,000 live births | -7.4% |
| 1997 | 7 per 1,000 live births | -6.7% |
| 1998 | 6.5 per 1,000 live births | -7.1% |
| 1999 | 6.1 per 1,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 2000 | 5.8 per 1,000 live births | -4.9% |
| 2001 | 5.5 per 1,000 live births | -5.2% |
| 2002 | 5.2 per 1,000 live births | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 4.9 per 1,000 live births | -5.8% |
| 2004 | 4.7 per 1,000 live births | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 4.3 per 1,000 live births | -8.5% |
| 2006 | 4.1 per 1,000 live births | -4.7% |
| 2007 | 3.8 per 1,000 live births | -7.3% |
| 2008 | 3.6 per 1,000 live births | -5.3% |
| 2009 | 3.4 per 1,000 live births | -5.6% |
| 2010 | 3.3 per 1,000 live births | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 3.2 per 1,000 live births | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 3.1 per 1,000 live births | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 3 per 1,000 live births | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 2.9 per 1,000 live births | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 2.9 per 1,000 live births | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 2.8 per 1,000 live births | -3.4% |
| 2017 | 2.7 per 1,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 2.6 per 1,000 live births | -3.7% |
| 2019 | 2.6 per 1,000 live births | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 2.5 per 1,000 live births | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 2.5 per 1,000 live births | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 2.4 per 1,000 live births | -4.0% |
| 2023 | 2.4 per 1,000 live births | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 2.3 per 1,000 live births | -4.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 2.3 per 1,000 live births is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.6 per 1,000 live births, 64% of the median. (65 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 2.3 per 1,000 live births is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 13.85 per 1,000 live births, 17% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 62.21 per 1,000 live births | 48.4 per 1,000 live births | 74.4 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 1970s | 36.37 per 1,000 live births | 29.4 per 1,000 live births | 45.3 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.05 per 1,000 live births | 13.1 per 1,000 live births | 27.8 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.66 per 1,000 live births | 6.1 per 1,000 live births | 12 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.53 per 1,000 live births | 3.4 per 1,000 live births | 5.8 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.91 per 1,000 live births | 2.6 per 1,000 live births | 3.3 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.42 per 1,000 live births | 2.3 per 1,000 live births | 2.5 per 1,000 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 178 Spain 2.6 per 1,000 live births compare
- 179 North Macedonia 2.5 per 1,000 live births compare
- 180 Andorra 2.4 per 1,000 live births compare
- 181 Italy 2.3 per 1,000 live births compare
- 183 Latvia 2.2 per 1,000 live births compare
- 183 Monaco 2.2 per 1,000 live births compare
- 183 Singapore 2.2 per 1,000 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)
- 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 mortality rate, infant in South Korea?
- Mortality rate, infant in South Korea was 2.3 per 1,000 live births in 2024, according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF).
- What is the highest mortality rate, infant recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 74.4 per 1,000 live births in 1960.
- What is the lowest mortality rate, infant recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.3 per 1,000 live births in 2024.
- How does South Korea rank for mortality rate, infant?
- South Korea ranks 181st out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mortality rate, infant rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), published as part of Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.