Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in South Korea
South Korea: Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source was 100.0% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
100.0%
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
1st
of 231 countries
All-time high
100.0%
in 2024
All-time low
98.8%
in 2002
Years of data
23
2002–2024
Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source 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
The most recent figure for share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in South Korea is 100.0%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in South Korea peaked at 100.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 98.8%, in 2002.
That places South Korea 1st out of 231 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 98.8% | — |
| 2003 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 98.8% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 98.8% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 98.9% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 99.0% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 99.1% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 99.1% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 99.2% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 99.3% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 99.3% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 99.4% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 99.5% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 99.6% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 99.6% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 99.7% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 99.8% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 99.8% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 99.9% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 100.0% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 100.0% | +0.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 100.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 100.0%, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 100.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 98.7%, 1.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 98.8% | 98.8% | 99.0% | 8 |
| 2010s | 99.4% | 99.1% | 99.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.9% | 99.8% | 100.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 1 American Samoa 100.0% compare
- 1 Andorra 100.0% compare
- 1 Austria 100.0% compare
- 1 Belgium 100.0% compare
- 1 Bermuda 100.0% compare
- 1 Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba 100.0% compare
- 1 Brazil 100.0% compare
- 1 Brunei 100.0% compare
- 1 Curacao 100.0% compare
- 1 Denmark 100.0% compare
- 1 Estonia 100.0% compare
- 1 Faroe Islands 100.0% compare
- 1 Finland 100.0% compare
- 1 France 100.0% compare
- 1 French Polynesia 100.0% compare
- 1 Germany 100.0% compare
- 1 Gibraltar 100.0% compare
- 1 Greece 100.0% compare
- 1 Greenland 100.0% compare
- 1 Hong Kong 100.0% compare
- 1 Hungary 100.0% compare
- 1 Iceland 100.0% compare
- 1 Isle of Man 100.0% compare
- 1 Israel 100.0% compare
- 1 Kuwait 100.0% compare
- 1 Liechtenstein 100.0% compare
- 1 Luxembourg 100.0% compare
- 1 Macao 100.0% compare
- 1 Malta 100.0% compare
- 1 Monaco 100.0% compare
- 1 Netherlands 100.0% compare
- 1 New Zealand 100.0% compare
- 1 Northern Mariana Islands 100.0% compare
- 1 Norway 100.0% compare
- 1 Puerto Rico 100.0% compare
- 1 Romania 100.0% compare
- 1 Saint Barthelemy 100.0% compare
- 1 Singapore 100.0% compare
- 1 Switzerland 100.0% compare
- 1 Thailand 100.0% compare
- 1 Tokelau 100.0% compare
- 1 United Arab Emirates 100.0% compare
- 1 United Kingdom 100.0% 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 share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in South Korea?
- Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in South Korea was 100.0% 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 share of population using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 100.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of population using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 98.8% in 2002.
- How does South Korea rank for share of population using at least a basic drinking water source?
- South Korea ranks 1st out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population using at least a basic drinking water source rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. 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 Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Proportion of people who use an improved drinking water source, which is either located on their premises, or at a collection point, which takes no more than 30 minutes for a roundtrip.