Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Republic of Korea

Republic of Korea: Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers was 92.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
92.9%
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
1st
of 65 countries
All-time high
95.0%
in 2021
All-time low
28.1%
in 2009
Years of data
15
2008–2023

Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Republic of Korea, 2008–2023

204060801002008201520232008: 59 %2009: 28.1 %2011: 66.3 %2012: 66.3 %2013: 69.4 %2014: 74.8 %2015: 80.8 %2016: 85.5 %2017: 88.5 %2018: 86.6 %2019: 89.4 %2020: 90 %2021: 95 %2022: 93.8 %2023: 92.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Republic of Korea recorded 92.9% for proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and up 33.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Republic of Korea peaked at 95.0% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 28.1%, in 2009.

Republic of Korea ranks 1st of 65 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Republic of Korea, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers, magazines or electronic books in digital format, both sexes (%) in Republic of Korea, 2008 to 2023.
Year % Change
2008 59.0%
2009 28.1% -52.4%
2011 66.3% +135.9%
2012 66.3% +0.0%
2013 69.4% +4.7%
2014 74.8% +7.8%
2015 80.8% +8.0%
2016 85.5% +5.8%
2017 88.5% +3.5%
2018 86.6% -2.1%
2019 89.4% +3.2%
2020 90.0% +0.7%
2021 95.0% +5.6%
2022 93.8% -1.3%
2023 92.9% -1.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 43.5% 28.1% 59.0% 2
2010s 78.6% 66.3% 89.4% 9
2020s 92.9% 90.0% 95.0% 4

Countries ranked near Republic of Korea

  1. 2 Iceland 92.8% compare
  2. 3 Norway 92.0% compare
  3. 4 Denmark 87.3% compare

See the full ranking of 65 places →

More education data for Republic of Korea

All data for Republic of Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Republic of Korea?
Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Republic of Korea was 92.9% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers recorded in Republic of Korea?
The highest recorded value was 95.0% in 2021.
What is the lowest proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers recorded in Republic of Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 28.1% in 2009.
How does Republic of Korea rank for proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers?
Republic of Korea ranks 1st out of 65 countries with data for 2023.
Is proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 33.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers, magazines or electronic books in digital format, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers in Republic of Korea. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-youth-and-adults-that-read-or-downloaded-newspapers-magazines-or-electronic/korea-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of youth and adults that read or downloaded newspapers, magazines or electronic books in digital format, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
65 places, 841 data points, 2002–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release