Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in South Korea
South Korea: Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution was 21.89 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
21.89 micrograms per cubic meter
Change on year
down 6.6%
World rank
73rd
of 200 countries
All-time high
26.22 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2014
All-time low
20.11 micrograms per cubic meter
in 2004
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in South Korea, 1990–2023
Source: Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in micrograms per cubic meter.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 21.89 micrograms per cubic meter for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.6% on the previous year and down 12.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in South Korea peaked at 26.22 micrograms per cubic meter in 2014 and was at its lowest, 20.11 micrograms per cubic meter, in 2004.
South Korea ranks 73rd of 200 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.
Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution in South Korea, year by year
| Year | micrograms per cubic meter | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 21.36 micrograms per cubic meter | — |
| 1991 | 21.32 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 21.32 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 21.32 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 21.32 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 21.26 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 21.32 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 21.33 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 21.33 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 21.33 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 21.36 micrograms per cubic meter | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 21.23 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 20.97 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 20.75 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 20.11 micrograms per cubic meter | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 20.72 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 23.55 micrograms per cubic meter | +13.7% |
| 2007 | 24.76 micrograms per cubic meter | +5.2% |
| 2008 | 24.56 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 24.49 micrograms per cubic meter | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 22.74 micrograms per cubic meter | -7.2% |
| 2011 | 21.82 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 22.6 micrograms per cubic meter | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 25.06 micrograms per cubic meter | +10.9% |
| 2014 | 26.22 micrograms per cubic meter | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 24.5 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.6% |
| 2016 | 24.15 micrograms per cubic meter | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 22.09 micrograms per cubic meter | -8.5% |
| 2018 | 21.49 micrograms per cubic meter | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 21.98 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 21 micrograms per cubic meter | -4.5% |
| 2021 | 21.55 micrograms per cubic meter | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 23.44 micrograms per cubic meter | +8.8% |
| 2023 | 21.89 micrograms per cubic meter | -6.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 21.89 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for high income countries, which is 10.06 micrograms per cubic meter, 2.2× the median. (70 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 21.89 micrograms per cubic meter is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.77 micrograms per cubic meter, 2.2× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 21.32 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.26 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.36 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.25 micrograms per cubic meter | 20.11 micrograms per cubic meter | 24.76 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.26 micrograms per cubic meter | 21.49 micrograms per cubic meter | 26.22 micrograms per cubic meter | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.97 micrograms per cubic meter | 21 micrograms per cubic meter | 23.44 micrograms per cubic meter | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 70 Palestine 22.39 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 71 Philippines 22.21 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 72 Israel 21.9 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 74 North Macedonia 21.81 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 75 North Korea 21.78 micrograms per cubic meter compare
- 76 Jamaica 21.65 micrograms per cubic meter compare
More environment data for South Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2791 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -2.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2415 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in South Korea?
- Average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution in South Korea was 21.89 micrograms per cubic meter in 2023, according to Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 26.22 micrograms per cubic meter in 2014.
- What is the lowest average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.11 micrograms per cubic meter in 2004.
- How does South Korea rank for average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution?
- South Korea ranks 73rd out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is average annual exposure to pm2.5 air pollution rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Average annual exposure to PM2.5 air pollution. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The average level of exposure of the population to suspended particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter, which are capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory tract and damaging health. This is measured in micrograms per cubic meter.