Number of neonatal deaths in South Korea
South Korea: Number of neonatal deaths was 281 deaths in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of neonatal deaths in South Korea, 1952–2024
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of neonatal deaths in South Korea is 281 deaths, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 73 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 60.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of neonatal deaths in South Korea peaked at 31,807 deaths in 1952 and was at its lowest, 281 deaths, in 2024.
South Korea ranks 122nd of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of neonatal deaths in South Korea, year by year
| Year | deaths | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | 31,807 deaths | — |
| 1953 | 31,239 deaths | -1.8% |
| 1954 | 30,642 deaths | -1.9% |
| 1955 | 30,151 deaths | -1.6% |
| 1956 | 29,997 deaths | -0.5% |
| 1957 | 30,294 deaths | +1.0% |
| 1958 | 30,694 deaths | +1.3% |
| 1959 | 31,117 deaths | +1.4% |
| 1960 | 31,336 deaths | +0.7% |
| 1961 | 31,090 deaths | -0.8% |
| 1962 | 30,230 deaths | -2.8% |
| 1963 | 29,271 deaths | -3.2% |
| 1964 | 27,977 deaths | -4.4% |
| 1965 | 26,977 deaths | -3.6% |
| 1966 | 26,209 deaths | -2.8% |
| 1967 | 25,167 deaths | -4.0% |
| 1968 | 24,435 deaths | -2.9% |
| 1969 | 23,924 deaths | -2.1% |
| 1970 | 23,707 deaths | -0.9% |
| 1971 | 22,384 deaths | -5.6% |
| 1972 | 20,927 deaths | -6.5% |
| 1973 | 19,693 deaths | -5.9% |
| 1974 | 18,417 deaths | -6.5% |
| 1975 | 17,278 deaths | -6.2% |
| 1976 | 16,424 deaths | -4.9% |
| 1977 | 15,735 deaths | -4.2% |
| 1978 | 14,611 deaths | -7.1% |
| 1979 | 15,011 deaths | +2.7% |
| 1980 | 14,921 deaths | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 14,661 deaths | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 13,260 deaths | -9.6% |
| 1983 | 11,173 deaths | -15.7% |
| 1984 | 9,296 deaths | -16.8% |
| 1985 | 8,116 deaths | -12.7% |
| 1986 | 7,175 deaths | -11.6% |
| 1987 | 6,426 deaths | -10.4% |
| 1988 | 5,849 deaths | -9.0% |
| 1989 | 5,396 deaths | -7.7% |
| 1990 | 5,086 deaths | -5.7% |
| 1991 | 4,972 deaths | -2.2% |
| 1992 | 4,640 deaths | -6.7% |
| 1993 | 4,119 deaths | -11.2% |
| 1994 | 3,752 deaths | -8.9% |
| 1995 | 3,406 deaths | -9.2% |
| 1996 | 3,060 deaths | -10.2% |
| 1997 | 2,754 deaths | -10.0% |
| 1998 | 2,455 deaths | -10.9% |
| 1999 | 2,225 deaths | -9.4% |
| 2000 | 2,049 deaths | -7.9% |
| 2001 | 1,737 deaths | -15.2% |
| 2002 | 1,474 deaths | -15.1% |
| 2003 | 1,334 deaths | -9.5% |
| 2004 | 1,196 deaths | -10.3% |
| 2005 | 1,042 deaths | -12.9% |
| 2006 | 962 deaths | -7.7% |
| 2007 | 927 deaths | -3.6% |
| 2008 | 843 deaths | -9.1% |
| 2009 | 787 deaths | -6.6% |
| 2010 | 788 deaths | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 787 deaths | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 787 deaths | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 734 deaths | -6.7% |
| 2014 | 711 deaths | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 694 deaths | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 639 deaths | -7.9% |
| 2017 | 558 deaths | -12.7% |
| 2018 | 489 deaths | -12.4% |
| 2019 | 429 deaths | -12.3% |
| 2020 | 373 deaths | -13.1% |
| 2021 | 338 deaths | -9.4% |
| 2022 | 319 deaths | -5.6% |
| 2023 | 284 deaths | -11.0% |
| 2024 | 281 deaths | -1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 30,743 deaths | 29,997 deaths | 31,807 deaths | 8 |
| 1960s | 27,662 deaths | 23,924 deaths | 31,336 deaths | 10 |
| 1970s | 18,419 deaths | 14,611 deaths | 23,707 deaths | 10 |
| 1980s | 9,627 deaths | 5,396 deaths | 14,921 deaths | 10 |
| 1990s | 3,647 deaths | 2,225 deaths | 5,086 deaths | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,235 deaths | 787 deaths | 2,049 deaths | 10 |
| 2010s | 661.6 deaths | 429 deaths | 788 deaths | 10 |
| 2020s | 319 deaths | 281 deaths | 373 deaths | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More health data for South Korea
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Frequently asked questions
- What is number of neonatal deaths in South Korea?
- Number of neonatal deaths in South Korea was 281 deaths in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of neonatal deaths recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 31,807 deaths in 1952.
- What is the lowest number of neonatal deaths recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 281 deaths in 2024.
- How does South Korea rank for number of neonatal deaths?
- South Korea ranks 122nd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of neonatal deaths rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 60.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of neonatal deaths. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths of children aged less than 28 days .