Drinking water service usage in South Korea
South Korea: Drinking water service usage was 99.3% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Drinking water service usage in South Korea, 2002–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, drinking water service usage in South Korea stood at 99.3%. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water service usage in South Korea peaked at 99.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 97.2%, in 2002.
That places South Korea 30th out of 163 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 97.3% | 97.2% | 97.7% | 8 |
| 2010s | 98.4% | 97.8% | 98.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.2% | 99.0% | 99.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More environment data for South Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 668.25 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 12.91 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 21.02 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.3304 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 3.86 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.1549 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 44.74 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.2523 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.2291 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 18.6 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is drinking water service usage in South Korea?
- Drinking water service usage in South Korea was 99.3% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest drinking water service usage recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 99.3% in 2024.
- What is the lowest drinking water service usage recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 97.2% in 2002.
- How does South Korea rank for drinking water service usage?
- South Korea ranks 30th out of 163 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water service usage rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Drinking water service usage. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proportion of people using an improved drinking water source that is located on premises, available when needed and free from faecal and priority chemical contamination.