Protected areas — all countries

Protected areas — South Korea

Protected areas in South Korea in 2025 — 5.9%. Ranked 136 in the world out of 213. Since 2013, the indicator has risen by 3.6 pp.

2025 5.9% +0.1 pp vs 2024
World rank 136of 213
Period maximum 5.9%2021
Period minimum 2.3%2013

Trend over time

2013–2025 · % of territory

Protected areas — South Korea, 2013–20252345620132015201720192021202320252013: 2.3%2014: 2.6%2015: 2.6%2016: 3.9%2017: 3.9%2018: 4%2019: 5.5%2020: 5.8%2021: 5.9%2022: 5.9%2023: 5.9%2024: 5.8%2025: 5.9%
Change over the period: +3.6 pp Annual average: 0.3 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South Korea

South Korea 5.9%
World 16.98%
Protected areas — South Korea, by year South Korea All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 5.9 +0.1 pp
2024 5.8 −0.1 pp
2023 5.9 +0 pp
2022 5.9 +0 pp
2021 5.9 +0.1 pp
2020 5.8 +0.3 pp
2019 5.5 +1.5 pp
2018 4 +0.1 pp
2017 3.9 +0 pp
2016 3.9 +1.3 pp
2015 2.6 +0 pp
2014 2.6 +0.3 pp
2013 2.3

Eastern Asia, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of terrestrial and marine protected areas in the total area of a country: national parks, nature reserves, natural monuments, sanctuaries and other IUCN categories. The target set by the Kunming-Montreal framework is 30 percent of land and sea under protection by 2030.

Important: The aggregate is weighted by total area rather than land area: protected areas include marine waters as well.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.