Electronic waste generated in South Korea
South Korea: Electronic waste generated was 954,060 tonnes in 2023. ▲ Rising
Electronic waste generated in South Korea, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2023, electronic waste generated in South Korea stood at 954,060 tonnes. That is the highest value across all 16 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.6% on the previous year and up 52.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electronic waste generated in South Korea peaked at 954,060 tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 251,120 tonnes, in 2000.
That places South Korea 7th out of 31 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.
Electronic waste generated in South Korea, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 251,120 tonnes | — |
| 2005 | 352,740 tonnes | +40.5% |
| 2010 | 502,680 tonnes | +42.5% |
| 2011 | 541,720 tonnes | +7.8% |
| 2012 | 582,870 tonnes | +7.6% |
| 2013 | 623,810 tonnes | +7.0% |
| 2014 | 664,190 tonnes | +6.5% |
| 2015 | 703,330 tonnes | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 740,070 tonnes | +5.2% |
| 2017 | 776,180 tonnes | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 810,540 tonnes | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 842,470 tonnes | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 872,920 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2021 | 902,490 tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 929,920 tonnes | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 954,060 tonnes | +2.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 954,060 tonnes is above the median for high income countries, which is 348,926 tonnes, 2.7× the median. (10 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 954,060 tonnes is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 545,569 tonnes, 1.7× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Electronic waste generated in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +42.5% | 352,740 tonnes | 502,680 tonnes |
| 2005 | +40.5% | 251,120 tonnes | 352,740 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 301,930 tonnes | 251,120 tonnes | 352,740 tonnes | 2 |
| 2010s | 678,786 tonnes | 502,680 tonnes | 842,470 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 914,848 tonnes | 872,920 tonnes | 954,060 tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
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 electronic waste generated in South Korea?
- Electronic waste generated in South Korea was 954,060 tonnes in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest electronic waste generated recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 954,060 tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest electronic waste generated recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 251,120 tonnes in 2000.
- How does South Korea rank for electronic waste generated?
- South Korea ranks 7th out of 31 countries with data for 2023.
- Is electronic waste generated rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Electronic waste generated (Tonnes). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).