Homicides in South Korea
South Korea: Homicides was 247 homicides in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
247 homicides
Change on year
down 3.9%
World rank
76th
of 179 countries
All-time high
532.28 homicides
in 2009
All-time low
208.03 homicides
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Homicides in South Korea, 1990–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in homicides.
Analysis
The most recent figure for homicides in South Korea is 247 homicides, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 3.9% on the previous year and down 29.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, homicides in South Korea peaked at 532.28 homicides in 2009 and was at its lowest, 208.03 homicides, in 1990.
South Korea ranks 76th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Homicides in South Korea, year by year
| Year | homicides | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 208.03 homicides | — |
| 1991 | 216.56 homicides | +4.1% |
| 1992 | 239.8 homicides | +10.7% |
| 1993 | 306.43 homicides | +27.8% |
| 1994 | 223.53 homicides | -27.1% |
| 1995 | 228.18 homicides | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 246.38 homicides | +8.0% |
| 1997 | 277.38 homicides | +12.6% |
| 1998 | 377.71 homicides | +36.2% |
| 1999 | 384.69 homicides | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 369.96 homicides | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 407.15 homicides | +10.1% |
| 2002 | 370.74 homicides | -8.9% |
| 2003 | 386.62 homicides | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 419.94 homicides | +8.6% |
| 2005 | 411.03 homicides | -2.1% |
| 2006 | 415.68 homicides | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 430.4 homicides | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 429.62 homicides | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 532.28 homicides | +23.9% |
| 2010 | 484.63 homicides | -9.0% |
| 2011 | 403 homicides | -16.8% |
| 2012 | 435 homicides | +7.9% |
| 2013 | 352 homicides | -19.1% |
| 2014 | 377 homicides | +7.1% |
| 2015 | 375 homicides | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 356 homicides | -5.1% |
| 2017 | 301 homicides | -15.4% |
| 2018 | 309 homicides | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 297 homicides | -3.9% |
| 2020 | 308 homicides | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 245 homicides | -20.5% |
| 2022 | 257 homicides | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 247 homicides | -3.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 247 homicides is above the median for high income countries, which is 52.5 homicides, 4.7× the median. (76 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 247 homicides is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 75 homicides, 3.3× the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 270.87 homicides | 208.03 homicides | 384.69 homicides | 10 |
| 2000s | 417.34 homicides | 369.96 homicides | 532.28 homicides | 10 |
| 2010s | 368.96 homicides | 297 homicides | 484.63 homicides | 10 |
| 2020s | 264.25 homicides | 245 homicides | 308 homicides | 4 |
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 homicides in South Korea?
- Homicides in South Korea was 247 homicides in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest homicides recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 532.28 homicides in 2009.
- What is the lowest homicides recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 208.03 homicides in 1990.
- How does South Korea rank for homicides?
- South Korea ranks 76th out of 179 countries with data for 2023.
- Is homicides rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Homicides. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of intentional homicides.