Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) in South Korea
South Korea: Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) was 18.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Prevalence of current tobacco use in South Korea, 2000–2024
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of adults.
Analysis
In 2024, prevalence of current tobacco use in South Korea stood at 18.6%. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of current tobacco use in South Korea peaked at 35.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 18.6%, in 2024.
That places South Korea 85th out of 166 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Prevalence of current tobacco use (% of adults) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of adults | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 35.5% | — |
| 2005 | 30.9% | -13.0% |
| 2007 | 29.4% | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 27.0% | -8.2% |
| 2015 | 23.6% | -12.6% |
| 2020 | 20.6% | -12.7% |
| 2022 | 19.6% | -4.9% |
| 2023 | 19.0% | -3.1% |
| 2024 | 18.6% | -2.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 18.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 21.2%, 88% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 18.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 23.1%, 81% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 31.9% | 29.4% | 35.5% | 3 |
| 2010s | 25.3% | 23.6% | 27.0% | 2 |
| 2020s | 19.5% | 18.6% | 20.6% | 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)
- 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 prevalence of current tobacco use in South Korea?
- Prevalence of current tobacco use in South Korea was 18.6% in 2024, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest prevalence of current tobacco use recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 35.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest prevalence of current tobacco use recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.6% in 2024.
- How does South Korea rank for prevalence of current tobacco use?
- South Korea ranks 85th out of 166 countries with data for 2024.
- Is prevalence of current tobacco use rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.2%. 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 (% of 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 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.