Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) in South Korea
South Korea: Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) was 1.17 per 1,000 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
1.17 per 1,000 live births
Change on year
down 2.6%
World rank
205th
of 213 countries
All-time high
3.42 per 1,000 live births
in 2000
All-time low
1.17 per 1,000 live births
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024
Neonatal mortality rate in South Korea, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in per 1,000 live births.
Analysis
In 2024, neonatal mortality rate in South Korea stood at 1.17 per 1,000 live births. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 29.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, neonatal mortality rate in South Korea peaked at 3.42 per 1,000 live births in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.17 per 1,000 live births, in 2024.
That places South Korea 205th out of 213 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 live births | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.42 per 1,000 live births | — |
| 2001 | 3.2 per 1,000 live births | -6.3% |
| 2002 | 3 per 1,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 2003 | 2.82 per 1,000 live births | -6.2% |
| 2004 | 2.62 per 1,000 live births | -7.0% |
| 2005 | 2.4 per 1,000 live births | -8.3% |
| 2006 | 2.19 per 1,000 live births | -9.0% |
| 2007 | 2.01 per 1,000 live births | -8.2% |
| 2008 | 1.88 per 1,000 live births | -6.3% |
| 2009 | 1.8 per 1,000 live births | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 1.75 per 1,000 live births | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 1.73 per 1,000 live births | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 1.71 per 1,000 live births | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 1.69 per 1,000 live births | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 1.66 per 1,000 live births | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 1.63 per 1,000 live births | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 1.6 per 1,000 live births | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 1.56 per 1,000 live births | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 1.51 per 1,000 live births | -3.2% |
| 2019 | 1.45 per 1,000 live births | -4.1% |
| 2020 | 1.38 per 1,000 live births | -5.0% |
| 2021 | 1.3 per 1,000 live births | -5.4% |
| 2022 | 1.24 per 1,000 live births | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 1.2 per 1,000 live births | -3.6% |
| 2024 | 1.17 per 1,000 live births | -2.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1.17 per 1,000 live births is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.63 per 1,000 live births, 44% of the median. (64 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1.17 per 1,000 live births is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 8.35 per 1,000 live births, 14% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.53 per 1,000 live births | 1.8 per 1,000 live births | 3.42 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.63 per 1,000 live births | 1.45 per 1,000 live births | 1.75 per 1,000 live births | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.26 per 1,000 live births | 1.17 per 1,000 live births | 1.38 per 1,000 live births | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 202 Slovenia 1.28 per 1,000 live births compare
- 203 Andorra 1.25 per 1,000 live births compare
- 204 Latvia 1.2 per 1,000 live births compare
- 205 Republic of Korea 1.17 per 1,000 live births compare
- 207 Singapore 1.08 per 1,000 live births compare
- 208 North Macedonia 1.05 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 neonatal mortality rate in South Korea?
- Neonatal mortality rate in South Korea was 1.17 per 1,000 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest neonatal mortality rate recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3.42 per 1,000 live births in 2000.
- What is the lowest neonatal mortality rate recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.17 per 1,000 live births in 2024.
- How does South Korea rank for neonatal mortality rate?
- South Korea ranks 205th out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
- Is neonatal mortality rate rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Neonatal mortality rate (deaths per 1,000 live births). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).