Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient by sex in South Korea
South Korea: Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient by sex was 0.0683 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
0.0683
Change on year
down 3.7%
World rank
233rd
of 236 countries
All-time high
0.4932
in 1950
All-time low
0.0683
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient by sex in South Korea, 1950–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); Aburto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, lifespan inequality: gini coefficient by sex in South Korea stood at 0.0683. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.7% on the previous year and down 7.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lifespan inequality: gini coefficient by sex in South Korea peaked at 0.4932 in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.0683, in 2023.
That places South Korea 233rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient by sex in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 0.4932 | — |
| 1951 | 0.4554 | -7.7% |
| 1952 | 0.4083 | -10.3% |
| 1953 | 0.3903 | -4.4% |
| 1954 | 0.3517 | -9.9% |
| 1955 | 0.3273 | -6.9% |
| 1956 | 0.308 | -5.9% |
| 1957 | 0.2946 | -4.3% |
| 1958 | 0.2861 | -2.9% |
| 1959 | 0.2735 | -4.4% |
| 1960 | 0.265 | -3.1% |
| 1961 | 0.2576 | -2.8% |
| 1962 | 0.2511 | -2.5% |
| 1963 | 0.2469 | -1.7% |
| 1964 | 0.2407 | -2.5% |
| 1965 | 0.2338 | -2.8% |
| 1966 | 0.2309 | -1.3% |
| 1967 | 0.2029 | -12.1% |
| 1968 | 0.1984 | -2.2% |
| 1969 | 0.1934 | -2.5% |
| 1970 | 0.186 | -3.8% |
| 1971 | 0.182 | -2.1% |
| 1972 | 0.1768 | -2.9% |
| 1973 | 0.1717 | -2.9% |
| 1974 | 0.1673 | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 0.1633 | -2.4% |
| 1976 | 0.1602 | -1.9% |
| 1977 | 0.1582 | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 0.154 | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 0.1482 | -3.8% |
| 1980 | 0.1501 | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 0.1407 | -6.3% |
| 1982 | 0.1388 | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 0.1376 | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 0.1318 | -4.3% |
| 1985 | 0.1285 | -2.5% |
| 1986 | 0.1247 | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 0.1224 | -1.9% |
| 1988 | 0.118 | -3.5% |
| 1989 | 0.1151 | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 0.113 | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 0.1103 | -2.4% |
| 1992 | 0.1072 | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 0.1047 | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 0.1028 | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 0.1007 | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 0.0983 | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 0.0961 | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 0.0944 | -1.8% |
| 1999 | 0.0923 | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 0.0904 | -2.1% |
| 2001 | 0.0884 | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 0.0873 | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 0.086 | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 0.0844 | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 0.083 | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 0.0815 | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 0.0803 | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 0.0788 | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 0.0776 | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 0.0767 | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 0.0756 | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 0.0749 | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 0.0739 | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 0.0729 | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 0.0723 | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 0.0715 | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 0.0708 | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 0.0703 | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 0.0696 | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 0.0705 | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 0.069 | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 0.071 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 0.0683 | -3.7% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.0683 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.0826, 83% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.0683 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.1119, 61% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.3588 | 0.2735 | 0.4932 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2321 | 0.1934 | 0.265 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1668 | 0.1482 | 0.186 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1308 | 0.1151 | 0.1501 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.102 | 0.0923 | 0.113 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0838 | 0.0776 | 0.0904 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0728 | 0.0696 | 0.0767 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0697 | 0.0683 | 0.071 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 230 Spain 0.0694 compare
- 231 Switzerland 0.0694 compare
- 232 Italy 0.0692 compare
- 234 San Marino 0.0667 compare
- 235 United Arab Emirates 0.0656 compare
- 236 Macao 0.0635 compare
More poverty & inequality data for South Korea
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 6 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 0.72 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 6,615 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 0.0454 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 26.87 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 26.9% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lifespan inequality: gini coefficient by sex in South Korea?
- Lifespan inequality: gini coefficient by sex in South Korea was 0.0683 in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); Aburto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lifespan inequality: gini coefficient by sex recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 0.4932 in 1950.
- What is the lowest lifespan inequality: gini coefficient by sex recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0683 in 2023.
- How does South Korea rank for lifespan inequality: gini coefficient by sex?
- South Korea ranks 233rd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is lifespan inequality: gini coefficient by sex rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); Aburto et al. (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Level of inequality in lifespans, measured between 0 and 1.