Historical chart and dataset showing South Korea infant mortality rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

In 2023, South Korea's infant mortality rate was 2.07 deaths per 1,000 live births. The infant mortality rate in South Korea has declined over the past few decades.

UNICEF's country profile for Republic of Korea, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

In 2023, the infant mortality rate in South Korea decreased by 0.1 deaths per 1,000 live births (-4.17 percent) compared to 2022. In 2023, the infant mortality rate thereby reached its lowest value in recent years. The infant mortality rate is the number of newborns who do not survive past the first 12 months of life. This is generally expressed as a value per 1,000 live births, and also includes neonatal mortality (deaths within the first 28 days of life).Find more statistics on other topics about South Korea with key insights such as total life expectancy at birth, total fertility rate, and age dependency ratio.

Graph and download economic data for Infant Mortality Rate for the Republic of Korea (SPDYNIMRTINKOR) from 1960 to 2023 about mortality, infant, Korea, and rate.

The infant mortality rate in South Korea in 1950 was approximately 222 deaths per thousand births, meaning that 22% of all newborns in 1950 would not survive past their first birthday. Infant mortality would decline sharply in South Korea in the second half of the 20th century, as the country would recover rapidly from the Korean War and gradually begin to modernize, greatly improving access to healthcare throughout the country. While decline would slow somewhat in the late 1970s, in part the result of significant instability in South Korea’s Fourth Republic government, mortality would decline greatly by the turn of the century, falling to just seven deaths per thousand children by 2000. This decline has continued well into the 21st century, and in 2020, South Korea has one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world, at just two deaths per thousand births.

In 1955, the infant mortality rate in North Korea was estimated to be 121 deaths per thousand live births, meaning that for every thousand children born in North Korea in this year, one eighth would not survive past their first birthday. This figure was recorded during the five year period between 1951 and 1955, which was dominated by the effects of the Korean War; following the war's end and the period of adjustment that followed, North Korea's infant mortality rate fell significantly over the next four decades. However, following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the subsequent cut off of economic aid, infant mortality in North Korea more than doubled in the 1990s. Flooding, famine and drought, exacerbated by the governments inefficient response saw infant mortality rise to 58 deaths per thousand births by the late 1990s. This figure has dropped to just 14 deaths per thousand births since the turn of the millennium, although this rate is seven times higher than that of South Korea.

Korea Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 2.900 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.000 Ratio for 2015. Korea Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 15.900 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 81.400 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 2.900 Ratio in 2016. Korea Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.World Bank: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted Average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Infant: Female: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 12.500 Ratio in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 13.900 Ratio for 2015. North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Infant: Female: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 20.000 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 39.500 Ratio in 2000 and a record low of 12.500 Ratio in 2017. North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Infant: Female: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s North Korea – Table KP.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate, female is the number of female infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 female live births in a given year.; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

In 1900, the child mortality rate of the area of modern-day South Korea was just over five hundred deaths per thousand live births, meaning that over half of all children born in these years would not live beyond their fifth birthday. This rate would spike briefly in 1910, as the Korean peninsula was annexed by the Empire of Japan, before dropping by almost half over the next three decades. In 1940, the child mortality rate had fallen to 265 deaths per thousand births, before rising over three hundred deaths in the years between the Second World war and Korean War.

Following the end of the Korean War with the 1953 armistice, however, child mortality would resume upon its earlier trajectory. As a result, child mortality would fall to just nine deaths per thousand births by the turn of the century, and in 2020, it is estimated that 99.7 percent of children born in South Korea will survive past their fifth birthday.

Korea Mortality Rate: Infant: Female: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 2.700 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2.800 Ratio for 2015. Korea Mortality Rate: Infant: Female: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 3.300 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.400 Ratio in 1990 and a record low of 2.700 Ratio in 2016. Korea Mortality Rate: Infant: Female: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.World Bank: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate, female is the number of female infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 female live births in a given year.; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted Average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

Mortality rate, infant, male (per 1,000 live births) in South Korea was reported at 2.5 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Korea - Mortality rate, infant, male (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

In 2023, there were 266 infants in South Korea who died from certain conditions originating in the perinatal period. The second-most common cause of death for Korean infants were symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, NEC.

Mortality rate, infant, male (per 1,000 live births) in North Korea was reported at 16.1 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. North Korea - Mortality rate, infant, male (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

In 2022, the mortality rate of children under five years old in South Korea amounted to ***** per *** thousand live births. The under-five mortality rate in North Korea was ** per *** thousand live births in the same year. Although the under-five mortality rate in North Korea has declined in recent years, it is still much higher compared to South Korea.

Korea, Democratic People's Republic of (North Korea) - Infant Mortality Rate for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was 14.50000 Number per 1,000 Live Births in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Korea, Democratic People's Republic of (North Korea) - Infant Mortality Rate for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea reached a record high of 55.10000 in January of 1996 and a record low of 13.10000 in January of 2019. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Korea, Democratic People's Republic of (North Korea) - Infant Mortality Rate for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Korea Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 3.400 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.500 Ratio for 2015. Korea Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 18.600 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 114.900 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 3.400 Ratio in 2016. Korea Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.World Bank: Health Statistics. Under-five mortality rate is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.; ; Estimates Developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

Number of infant deaths in South Korea was reported at 567 deaths in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Korea - Number of infant deaths - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

This study aimed at analyzing the infant, maternal, perinatal, fetal mortality statistics in the Republic of Korea (Korea), 2014. It was based on the open access data available from Statistics Korea website (http://kostat.go.kr/portal/eng/index.action). Recent trends of those vital statistics were also examined. It is the descriptive presentation and analysis of the national data. Number of infant death was 1,305 out of 435,435 live births in 2014 and infant mortality rate was 3.0. Number of maternal death was 48.Maternal mortality ratio (per 100,000 live births) was 11.0. Maternal mortality rate (per 100,000 women of child bearing years [15-49 years-old]) was 0.37. Number of perinatal death was 1,365 and perinatal mortality rate was 3.1. Number of fetal death was 5,317. Fetal mortality rate was 12.1. The trends of those vital statistics in recent years were consistent except a few: decrease of the maternal mortality ratio of pregnant women of 40 years-old and older; the change of the proportions of the causes of infant death that is, decrease of respiratory distress of new born and increase of bacterial sepsis. Above data showed that although there was a consistency of those vital statistics, some content varied by year. Pregnant women of less than 20 years-old should be monitored for their babies’ health more intensively. It can be a basic data for the establishment of the medical health policy by Korean Government.

Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births) in North Korea was reported at 14.5 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. North Korea - Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.