Voter turnout of voting age population in South Korea
South Korea: Voter turnout of voting age population was 78.5 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
78.5
Change on year
up 18.6%
World rank
21st
of 161 countries
All-time high
92.48
in 1997
All-time low
46.59
in 2008
Years of data
22
1967–2025
Voter turnout of voting age population in South Korea, 1967–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for voter turnout of voting age population in South Korea is 78.5, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 18.6% on the previous year and up 29.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, voter turnout of voting age population in South Korea peaked at 92.48 in 1997 and was at its lowest, 46.59, in 2008.
That places South Korea 21st out of 161 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Voter turnout of voting age population in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 79.01 | — |
| 1971 | 74.81 | -5.3% |
| 1973 | 68.04 | -9.0% |
| 1978 | 75.27 | +10.6% |
| 1981 | 78.42 | +4.2% |
| 1985 | 84.26 | +7.4% |
| 1988 | 73.76 | -12.5% |
| 1992 | 85.08 | +15.3% |
| 1996 | 65.32 | -23.2% |
| 1997 | 92.48 | +41.6% |
| 2000 | 55.74 | -39.7% |
| 2002 | 70.81 | +27.0% |
| 2004 | 59.46 | -16.0% |
| 2007 | 64.17 | +7.9% |
| 2008 | 46.59 | -27.4% |
| 2012 | 79.28 | +70.2% |
| 2016 | 60.78 | -23.3% |
| 2017 | 77.92 | +28.2% |
| 2020 | 66.48 | -14.7% |
| 2022 | 76.73 | +15.4% |
| 2024 | 66.19 | -13.7% |
| 2025 | 78.5 | +18.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 78.5 is above the median for high income countries, which is 66.03, 1.2× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 78.5 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 73.74, 1.1× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 79.01 | 79.01 | 79.01 | 1 |
| 1970s | 72.71 | 68.04 | 75.27 | 3 |
| 1980s | 78.81 | 73.76 | 84.26 | 3 |
| 1990s | 80.96 | 65.32 | 92.48 | 3 |
| 2000s | 59.35 | 46.59 | 70.81 | 5 |
| 2010s | 72.66 | 60.78 | 79.28 | 3 |
| 2020s | 71.97 | 66.19 | 78.5 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More population data for South Korea
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.17 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.17 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3601 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1.45 (2100)
- Population density 223.86 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 599,530 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -1.45 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 0.007 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is voter turnout of voting age population in South Korea?
- Voter turnout of voting age population in South Korea was 78.5 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest voter turnout of voting age population recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 92.48 in 1997.
- What is the lowest voter turnout of voting age population recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 46.59 in 2008.
- How does South Korea rank for voter turnout of voting age population?
- South Korea ranks 21st out of 161 countries with data for 2025.
- Is voter turnout of voting age population rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Voter turnout of voting age population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).