Alcohol, abstainers lifetime (%), age-standardized in South Korea
South Korea: Alcohol, abstainers lifetime (%), age-standardized was 11.3% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Alcohol, abstainers lifetime (%), age-standardized in South Korea, 2000–2020
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 11.3% for alcohol, abstainers lifetime (%), age-standardized in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol, abstainers lifetime (%), age-standardized in South Korea peaked at 12.7% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 11.3%, in 2018.
That places South Korea 170th out of 186 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Alcohol, abstainers lifetime (%), age-standardized in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 12.7% | — |
| 2001 | 11.8% | -6.8% |
| 2002 | 12.7% | +7.3% |
| 2003 | 12.5% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 12.6% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 12.5% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 12.5% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 12.1% | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 11.8% | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 12.2% | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 12.0% | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 12.0% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 11.7% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 11.8% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 12.2% | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 11.6% | -4.4% |
| 2016 | 11.7% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 11.5% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 11.3% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 11.4% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 11.3% | -0.7% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 11.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 13.7%, 83% of the median. (60 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 11.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 47.5%, 24% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.3% | 11.8% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.7% | 11.3% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.3% | 11.3% | 11.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More social development data for South Korea
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 4,407 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 117 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 117 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is alcohol, abstainers lifetime (%), age-standardized in South Korea?
- Alcohol, abstainers lifetime (%), age-standardized in South Korea was 11.3% in 2020, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest alcohol, abstainers lifetime (%), age-standardized recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 12.7% in 2000.
- What is the lowest alcohol, abstainers lifetime (%), age-standardized recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.3% in 2018.
- How does South Korea rank for alcohol, abstainers lifetime (%), age-standardized?
- South Korea ranks 170th out of 186 countries with data for 2020.
- Is alcohol, abstainers lifetime (%), age-standardized rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.6%. 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 Alcohol, abstainers lifetime (%), age-standardized. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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