Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in South Korea
South Korea: Enrolment in primary education, both sexes was 2.51 million in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
2.51 million
Change on year
down 4.1%
World rank
60th
of 218 countries
All-time high
5.81 million
in 1972
All-time low
2.51 million
in 2024
Years of data
54
1971–2024
Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in South Korea, 1971–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2024, enrolment in primary education, both sexes in South Korea stood at 2.51 million. That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.1% on the previous year and down 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in primary education, both sexes in South Korea peaked at 5.81 million in 1972 and was at its lowest, 2.51 million, in 2024.
South Korea ranks 60th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 5.75 million | — |
| 1972 | 5.81 million | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 5.78 million | -0.5% |
| 1974 | 5.69 million | -1.4% |
| 1975 | 5.62 million | -1.3% |
| 1976 | 5.60 million | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 5.50 million | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 5.51 million | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 5.60 million | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 5.64 million | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 5.66 million | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 5.59 million | -1.3% |
| 1983 | 5.47 million | -2.2% |
| 1984 | 5.26 million | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 5.04 million | -4.1% |
| 1986 | 4.86 million | -3.7% |
| 1987 | 4.80 million | -1.2% |
| 1988 | 4.77 million | -0.6% |
| 1989 | 4.82 million | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 4.89 million | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 4.87 million | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 4.76 million | -2.3% |
| 1993 | 4.56 million | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 4.35 million | -4.7% |
| 1995 | 4.11 million | -5.5% |
| 1996 | 3.92 million | -4.7% |
| 1997 | 3.79 million | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 3.84 million | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 3.95 million | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 4.03 million | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 4.10 million | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 4.15 million | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 4.19 million | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 4.13 million | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 4.03 million | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 3.93 million | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 3.84 million | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 3.68 million | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 3.48 million | -5.4% |
| 2010 | 3.31 million | -5.0% |
| 2011 | 3.14 million | -5.0% |
| 2012 | 2.96 million | -5.8% |
| 2013 | 2.79 million | -5.7% |
| 2014 | 2.74 million | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 2.72 million | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 2.68 million | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 2.68 million | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 2.72 million | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 2.76 million | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 2.70 million | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 2.68 million | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 2.67 million | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 2.61 million | -2.2% |
| 2024 | 2.51 million | -4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.65 million | 5.50 million | 5.81 million | 9 |
| 1980s | 5.19 million | 4.77 million | 5.66 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.30 million | 3.79 million | 4.89 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.96 million | 3.48 million | 4.19 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.85 million | 2.68 million | 3.31 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.64 million | 2.51 million | 2.70 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More education data for South Korea
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,024 tertiary education (2024)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0494 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 173,133 (2024)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre-primary education 3 years (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in primary education, both sexes in South Korea?
- Enrolment in primary education, both sexes in South Korea was 2.51 million in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in primary education, both sexes recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 5.81 million in 1972.
- What is the lowest enrolment in primary education, both sexes recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.51 million in 2024.
- How does South Korea rank for enrolment in primary education, both sexes?
- South Korea ranks 60th out of 218 countries with data for 2024.
- Is enrolment in primary education, both sexes rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release