Population having attained at least basic education in South Korea
South Korea: Population having attained at least basic education was 99.7 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Population having attained at least basic education in South Korea, 1870–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, population having attained at least basic education in South Korea stood at 99.7. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population having attained at least basic education in South Korea peaked at 99.7 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1870.
That places South Korea 9th out of 111 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population having attained at least basic education in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 0 | — |
| 1875 | 0 | — |
| 1880 | 0 | — |
| 1885 | 0 | — |
| 1890 | 0 | — |
| 1895 | 0 | — |
| 1900 | 5.6 | — |
| 1905 | 11.1 | +98.2% |
| 1910 | 15.3 | +37.8% |
| 1915 | 25.1 | +64.1% |
| 1920 | 32.7 | +30.3% |
| 1925 | 39.7 | +21.4% |
| 1930 | 46.6 | +17.4% |
| 1935 | 53.8 | +15.5% |
| 1940 | 59.9 | +11.3% |
| 1945 | 65.2 | +8.8% |
| 1950 | 74.1 | +13.7% |
| 1955 | 79.8 | +7.7% |
| 1960 | 60.6 | -24.1% |
| 1965 | 72.1 | +19.0% |
| 1970 | 79.3 | +10.0% |
| 1975 | 86 | +8.4% |
| 1980 | 90 | +4.7% |
| 1985 | 92 | +2.2% |
| 1990 | 95.2 | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 97.3 | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 97.9 | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 98.6 | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 99.3 | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 99.6 | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 99.7 | +0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 99.7 is above the median for high income countries, which is 99, 1.0× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 99.7 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 98.3, 1.0× the median. (13 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population having attained at least basic education in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1905 | +98.2% | 5.6 | 11.1 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1870s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1880s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1890s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1900s | 8.35 | 5.6 | 11.1 | 2 |
| 1910s | 20.2 | 15.3 | 25.1 | 2 |
| 1920s | 36.2 | 32.7 | 39.7 | 2 |
| 1930s | 50.2 | 46.6 | 53.8 | 2 |
| 1940s | 62.55 | 59.9 | 65.2 | 2 |
| 1950s | 76.95 | 74.1 | 79.8 | 2 |
| 1960s | 66.35 | 60.6 | 72.1 | 2 |
| 1970s | 82.65 | 79.3 | 86 | 2 |
| 1980s | 91 | 90 | 92 | 2 |
| 1990s | 96.25 | 95.2 | 97.3 | 2 |
| 2000s | 98.25 | 97.9 | 98.6 | 2 |
| 2010s | 99.45 | 99.3 | 99.6 | 2 |
| 2020s | 99.7 | 99.7 | 99.7 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More education data for South Korea
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 98.79 (2022)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 99.94 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 233,046 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 76 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 434,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 412,067 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.66 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.51 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -4.15 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population having attained at least basic education in South Korea?
- Population having attained at least basic education in South Korea was 99.7 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population having attained at least basic education recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 99.7 in 2020.
- What is the lowest population having attained at least basic education recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1870.
- How does South Korea rank for population having attained at least basic education?
- South Korea ranks 9th out of 111 countries with data for 2020.
- Is population having attained at least basic education rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Population having attained at least basic education. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).