In 2023, the average life expectancy at birth for men and women in South Korea was estimated to stand at 81.2 years and 87.2 years, respectively. Life expectancy at birth was particular low for men at the start of the 1950s due to the Korean War (1950-1953), and lagged 10 to 15 years behind women for decades. While women still have a longer life expectancy, the gap has been increasingly getting smaller, down to a difference of around six years in the 2020s. By the year 2100, it is estimated that life expectancy at birth for Korean women will have risen to 96 years, while their male counterparts are expected to reach 90.2 years old.
Estimated life expectancy at birth in South Korea from 1950 to 2023 with forecasts up to 2100, by gender
(in years)
Characteristic
Male
Female
2100*
90.2
96
2099*
90.1
95.9
2098*
90
95.8
2097*
89.8
95.7
2096*
89.7
95.6
2095*
89.6
95.5
2094*
89.5
95.3
2093*
89.4
95.2
2092*
89.2
95.1
2091*
89.1
95
2090*
89
94.9
2089*
88.9
94.8
2088*
88.8
94.6
2087*
88.7
94.5
2086*
88.5
94.4
2085*
88.4
94.3
2084*
88.3
94.2
2083*
88.2
94.1
2082*
88.1
93.9
2081*
88
93.8
2080*
87.9
93.7
2079*
87.7
93.6
2078*
87.6
93.5
2077*
87.5
93.4
2076*
87.4
93.3
2075*
87.3
93.1
2074*
87.2
93
2073*
87.1
92.9
2072*
87
92.8
2071*
86.8
92.7
2070*
86.7
92.6
2069*
86.6
92.5
2068*
86.5
92.3
2067*
86.4
92.2
2066*
86.3
92.1
2065*
86.2
92
2064*
86
91.9
2063*
85.9
91.8
2062*
85.8
91.7
2061*
85.7
91.5
2060*
85.6
91.4
2059*
85.5
91.3
2058*
85.4
91.2
2057*
85.3
91.1
2056*
85.1
91
2055*
85
90.9
2054*
84.9
90.7
2053*
84.8
90.6
2052*
84.7
90.5
2051*
84.6
90.4
2050*
84.4
90.3
2049*
84.3
90.2
2048*
84.2
90.1
2047*
84.1
89.9
2046*
84
89.8
2045*
83.8
89.7
2044*
83.7
89.6
2043*
83.6
89.5
2042*
83.5
89.4
2041*
83.4
89.2
2040*
83.2
89.1
2039*
83.1
89
2038*
83
88.9
2037*
82.9
88.8
2036*
82.7
88.7
2035*
82.6
88.6
2034*
82.5
88.4
2033*
82.4
88.3
2032*
82.3
88.2
2031*
82.1
88.1
2030*
82
88
2029*
81.9
87.9
2028*
81.8
87.8
2027*
81.7
87.6
2026*
81.6
87.5
2025*
81.4
87.4
2024*
81.3
87.3
2023
81.2
87.2
2022
79.6
85.8
2021
80.5
86.9
2020
80.3
86.8
2019
80.3
86.7
2018
79.9
86.4
2017
79.9
86.4
2016
79.4
86.1
2015
79
85.8
2014
78.7
85.7
2013
78.2
85.2
2012
77.7
84.7
2011
77.5
84.6
2010
77.1
84.2
2009
76.9
84
2008
76.3
83.5
2007
75.9
82.9
2006
75.4
82.5
2005
74.8
82
2004
74.3
81.6
2003
73.8
81.1
2002
73.4
81
2001
73
80.8
2000
72.3
80.1
1999
71.7
79.6
1998
71
79.1
1997
70.5
78.6
1996
70
78.1
1995
69.3
77.5
1994
68.8
77.1
1993
68.6
77
1992
68.1
76.4
1991
67.2
75.8
1990
66.8
75.4
1989
66.3
75.3
1988
65.7
74.9
1987
64.9
74
1986
64.5
73.8
1985
63.9
73.2
1984
63.7
72.8
1983
62.3
71.5
1982
62.5
72
1981
62.4
72.3
1980
60.5
69.7
1979
61.5
71.3
1978
60.5
70
1977
60.3
69.4
1976
60.9
69.5
1975
60.6
69.1
1974
60.2
68.6
1973
59.9
68
1972
59.3
67.4
1971
58.9
66.7
1970
58.5
66.1
1969
57.7
65.4
1968
57.2
64.9
1967
57.2
64.8
1966
52.5
58.7
1965
52.9
59
1964
52.7
58.3
1963
52.5
57.7
1962
52.7
57.6
1961
52
57
1960
51.4
56.3
1959
50.6
55.5
1958
49.5
54.4
1957
49.5
53.8
1956
48.1
52.5
1955
46.2
50.7
1954
43.9
48.4
1953
36.8
44.8
1952
31.7
42.9
1951
21
38.2
1950
17.5
34.6
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KOSIS. (September 30, 2024). Estimated life expectancy at birth in South Korea from 1950 to 2023 with forecasts up to 2100, by gender (in years) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 23, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/959606/south-korea-life-expectancy-at-birth-by-gender/
KOSIS. "Estimated life expectancy at birth in South Korea from 1950 to 2023 with forecasts up to 2100, by gender (in years)." Chart. September 30, 2024. Statista. Accessed December 23, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/959606/south-korea-life-expectancy-at-birth-by-gender/
KOSIS. (2024). Estimated life expectancy at birth in South Korea from 1950 to 2023 with forecasts up to 2100, by gender (in years). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 23, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/959606/south-korea-life-expectancy-at-birth-by-gender/
KOSIS. "Estimated Life Expectancy at Birth in South Korea from 1950 to 2023 with Forecasts up to 2100, by Gender (in Years)." Statista, Statista Inc., 30 Sep 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/959606/south-korea-life-expectancy-at-birth-by-gender/
KOSIS, Estimated life expectancy at birth in South Korea from 1950 to 2023 with forecasts up to 2100, by gender (in years) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/959606/south-korea-life-expectancy-at-birth-by-gender/ (last visited December 23, 2024)
Estimated life expectancy at birth in South Korea from 1950 to 2023 with forecasts up to 2100, by gender (in years) [Graph], KOSIS, September 30, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/959606/south-korea-life-expectancy-at-birth-by-gender/