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

0204060801002002201320242002: 98.8 %2003: 98.8 %2004: 98.8 %2005: 98.8 %2006: 98.8 %2007: 98.8 %2008: 98.9 %2009: 99 %2010: 99.1 %2011: 99.1 %2012: 99.2 %2013: 99.3 %2014: 99.3 %2015: 99.4 %2016: 99.5 %2017: 99.6 %2018: 99.6 %2019: 99.7 %2020: 99.8 %2021: 99.8 %2022: 99.9 %2023: 100 %2024: 100 %

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%.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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. 1 American Samoa 100.0% compare
  2. 1 Andorra 100.0% compare
  3. 1 Austria 100.0% compare
  4. 1 Belgium 100.0% compare
  5. 1 Bermuda 100.0% compare
  6. 1 Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba 100.0% compare
  7. 1 Brazil 100.0% compare
  8. 1 Brunei 100.0% compare
  9. 1 Curacao 100.0% compare
  10. 1 Denmark 100.0% compare
  11. 1 Estonia 100.0% compare
  12. 1 Faroe Islands 100.0% compare
  13. 1 Finland 100.0% compare
  14. 1 France 100.0% compare
  15. 1 French Polynesia 100.0% compare
  16. 1 Germany 100.0% compare
  17. 1 Gibraltar 100.0% compare
  18. 1 Greece 100.0% compare
  19. 1 Greenland 100.0% compare
  20. 1 Hong Kong 100.0% compare
  21. 1 Hungary 100.0% compare
  22. 1 Iceland 100.0% compare
  23. 1 Isle of Man 100.0% compare
  24. 1 Israel 100.0% compare
  25. 1 Kuwait 100.0% compare
  26. 1 Macao 100.0% compare
  27. 1 Monaco 100.0% compare
  28. 1 Netherlands 100.0% compare
  29. 1 New Zealand 100.0% compare
  30. 1 Northern Mariana Islands 100.0% compare
  31. 1 Norway 100.0% compare
  32. 1 Puerto Rico 100.0% compare
  33. 1 Romania 100.0% compare
  34. 1 Saint Barthelemy 100.0% compare
  35. 1 Singapore 100.0% compare
  36. 1 Switzerland 100.0% compare
  37. 1 Thailand 100.0% compare
  38. 1 Tokelau 100.0% compare
  39. 1 United Arab Emirates 100.0% compare
  40. 1 United Kingdom 100.0% compare

See the full ranking of 231 places →

More environment data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

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

CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source
Unit
%
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
231 places, 5,586 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

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.