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

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

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

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.

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.

South Korea: Infant deaths per 1000 live births: The latest value from 2022 is 2 deaths per 1000 live births, a decline from 3 deaths per 1000 live births in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 19 deaths per 1000 live births, based on data from 187 countries. Historically, the average for South Korea from 1960 to 2022 is 23 deaths per 1000 live births. The minimum value, 2 deaths per 1000 live births, was reached in 2022 while the maximum of 80 deaths per 1000 live births was recorded in 1960.

In 2023, the infant mortality rate in deaths per 1,000 live births in South Korea stood at 2.3. Between 1960 and 2023, the figure dropped by 71.2, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

Korea Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 3.000 Ratio in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.200 Ratio for 2015. Korea Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 3.800 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.400 Ratio in 1990 and a record low of 3.000 Ratio in 2017. Korea Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate, male is the number of male infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 male 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.

Actual value and historical data chart for South Korea Mortality Rate Infant Female Per 1000 Live Births

Actual value and historical data chart for South Korea Mortality Rate Infant Male Per 1000 Live Births

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.

Time series data for the statistic Infant_Mortality_Rate_Per_1000_Live_Births and country Korea, Rep.. Indicator Definition:Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.The statistic "Infant Mortality Rate Per 1000 Live Births" stands at 2.30 per mille as of 12/31/2023, the lowest value at least since 12/31/1961, the period currently displayed. Regarding the One-Year-Change of the series, the current value constitutes a decrease of -0.1 percentage points compared to the value the year prior.The 1 year change in percentage points is -0.1.The 3 year change in percentage points is -0.2.The 5 year change in percentage points is -0.4.The 10 year change in percentage points is -0.7.The Serie's long term average value is 21.30 per mille. It's latest available value, on 12/31/2023, is 19.00 percentage points lower, compared to it's long term average value.The Serie's change in percentage points from it's minimum value, on 12/31/2023, to it's latest available value, on 12/31/2023, is +0.0.The Serie's change in percentage points from it's maximum value, on 12/31/1960, to it's latest available value, on 12/31/2023, is -71.20.

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 December of 2025.

Actual value and historical data chart for South Korea Number Of Infant Deaths

In 2023, there were *** 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.

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.

North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 15.700 Ratio in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 17.400 Ratio for 2015. North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 25.000 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 48.000 Ratio in 2000 and a record low of 15.700 Ratio in 2017. North Korea KP: Mortality Rate: Infant: Male: 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: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate, male is the number of male infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 male 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.

Infant mortality rate is number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births. Data are for Santa Clara County residents. The measure is summarized for total county population, by race/ethnicity and Asian/Pacific Islander subgroups. Data are presented for single years at county level and pooled years combined for population subgroups. Source: Santa Clara County Public Health Department, 2007-2015 Birth Statistical Master File; Santa Clara County Public Health Department, VRBIS, 2007-2015. Data as of 05/26/2017.METADATA:Notes (String): Lists table title, sourceYear (String): Year of death. Pooled data years are used for certain categories to meet the minimum data requirements.Category (String): Lists the category representing the data: Santa Clara County is for total population, race/ethnicity: African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Latino and White (non-Hispanic White only), and Asian/Pacific Islander subgroups: Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Pacific Islanders.Rate per 1,000 live births (Numeric): Infant mortality rate is number of infant (under the age of 1 year) deaths in a year per 1,000 live births in the same time period.

Yearly (annual) dataset of the North Korea Infant Mortality Rate, including historical data, latest releases, and long-term trends from 1960-12-31 to 2023-12-31. Available for free download in CSV format.