Prevalence of current tobacco use, males in South Korea
South Korea: Prevalence of current tobacco use, males was 31.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of current tobacco use, males in South Korea, 2000–2024
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of male adults.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 31.5% for prevalence of current tobacco use, males in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.8% on the previous year and down 23.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of current tobacco use, males in South Korea peaked at 63.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 31.5%, in 2024.
South Korea ranks 70th of 166 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of current tobacco use, males in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of male adults | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 63.5% | — |
| 2005 | 54.7% | -13.9% |
| 2007 | 51.8% | -5.3% |
| 2010 | 47.3% | -8.7% |
| 2015 | 41.0% | -13.3% |
| 2020 | 35.2% | -14.1% |
| 2022 | 33.4% | -5.1% |
| 2023 | 32.4% | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 31.5% | -2.8% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 31.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 25.9%, 1.2× the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 31.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 39.1%, 81% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 56.7% | 51.8% | 63.5% | 3 |
| 2010s | 44.1% | 41.0% | 47.3% | 2 |
| 2020s | 33.1% | 31.5% | 35.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
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)
- 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)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of current tobacco use, males in South Korea?
- Prevalence of current tobacco use, males in South Korea was 31.5% in 2024, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest prevalence of current tobacco use, males recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 63.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of current tobacco use, males recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.5% in 2024.
- How does South Korea rank for prevalence of current tobacco use, males?
- South Korea ranks 70th out of 166 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of current tobacco use, males rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Prevalence of current tobacco use, males (% of male adults). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The percentage of the male population ages 15 years and over who currently use any tobacco product (smoked and/or smokeless tobacco) on a daily or non-daily basis. Tobacco products include cigarettes, pipes, cigars, cigarillos, waterpipes (hookah, shisha), bidis, kretek, heated tobacco products, and all forms of smokeless (oral and nasal) tobacco. Tobacco products exclude e-cigarettes (which do not contain tobacco), “e-cigars”, “e-hookahs”, JUUL and “e-pipes”. The rates are age-standardized to the WHO Standard Population.