Preterm birth in South Korea

South Korea: Preterm birth was 24,605 in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
24,605
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
43rd
of 102 countries
All-time high
30,830
in 2015
All-time low
24,605
in 2020
Years of data
11
2010–2020

Preterm birth in South Korea, 2010–2020

010.0k20.0k30.0k2010201520202010: 28.4k2011: 29.6k2012: 30.6k2013: 30.1k2014: 30.4k2015: 30.8k2016: 29.8k2017: 27.7k2018: 26.0k2019: 24.9k2020: 24.6k

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

In 2020, preterm birth in South Korea stood at 24,605. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.

That represents a change of down 1.2% on the previous year and down 13.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, preterm birth in South Korea peaked at 30,830 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 24,605, in 2020.

That places South Korea 43rd out of 102 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.

Preterm birth in South Korea, year by year

Annual values for Preterm birth (number) in South Korea, 2010 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2010 28,396 —
2011 29,630 +4.3%
2012 30,613 +3.3%
2013 30,096 -1.7%
2014 30,410 +1.0%
2015 30,830 +1.4%
2016 29,806 -3.3%
2017 27,715 -7.0%
2018 25,981 -6.3%
2019 24,901 -4.2%
2020 24,605 -1.2%

South Korea compared with similar countries

  • South Korea's 24,605 is above the median for high income countries, which is 6,023, 4.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
  • South Korea's 24,605 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 23,600, 1.0× the median. (14 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 28,838 24,901 30,830 10
2020s 24,605 24,605 24,605 1

Countries ranked near South Korea

  1. 40 Canada 29,384 compare
  2. 41 Poland 27,197 compare
  3. 42 Spain 24,945 compare
  4. 44 Australia 24,274 compare
  5. 45 Sri Lanka 24,148 compare
  6. 46 Kazakhstan 23,462 compare

See the full ranking of 120 places →

More health data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is preterm birth in South Korea?
Preterm birth in South Korea was 24,605 in 2020, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest preterm birth recorded in South Korea?
The highest recorded value was 30,830 in 2015.
What is the lowest preterm birth recorded in South Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 24,605 in 2020.
How does South Korea rank for preterm birth?
South Korea ranks 43rd out of 102 countries with data for 2020.
Is preterm birth rising or falling in South Korea?
Over the last ten years it is down 13.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Korea data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Preterm birth (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Preterm birth in South Korea. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 26 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/preterm-birth-number/korea-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Preterm birth (number)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
120 places, 1,320 data points, 2010–2020
Last refreshed