Tobacco use prevalence — all countries

Tobacco use prevalence — South Korea

Tobacco use prevalence in South Korea in 2024 — 18.6%. Ranked 81 in the world out of 166. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 16.9 pp.

2024 18.6% −0.4 pp vs 2023
World rank 81of 166
Period maximum 35.5%2000
Period minimum 18.6%2024

Trend over time

2000–2024 · % of adults

Tobacco use prevalence — South Korea, 2000–20241520253035402000200320062009201220152018202120242000: 35.5%2005: 30.9%2007: 29.4%2010: 27%2015: 23.6%2020: 20.6%2022: 19.6%2023: 19%2024: 18.6%
Change over the period: −16.9 pp Annual average: -0.7 pp

Comparison, 2024

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

South Korea 18.6%
World 20.3%
Eastern Asia computed 22.2%
High-income countries computed 20.1%
Tobacco use prevalence — South Korea, by year South Korea All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 18.6 −0.4 pp
2023 19 −0.6 pp
2022 19.6
2020 20.6
2015 23.6
2010 27
2007 29.4
2005 30.9
2000 35.5

Eastern Asia, 2024

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

About the indicator

The share of the population aged 15 and over that uses tobacco — cigarettes, cigars, pipes, waterpipe, smokeless tobacco. The WHO estimates are age-standardized, so countries with different age composition can be compared directly. Tobacco remains one of the leading preventable causes of death.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.