Animal protein consumption in South Korea
South Korea: Animal protein consumption was 15.68 grams of protein per day per capita in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
15.68 grams of protein per day per capita
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
6th
of 192 countries
All-time high
16.98 grams of protein per day per capita
in 2011
All-time low
3.41 grams of protein per day per capita
in 1964
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Animal protein consumption in South Korea, 1961–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in grams of protein per day per capita.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 15.68 grams of protein per day per capita for animal protein consumption in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, animal protein consumption in South Korea peaked at 16.98 grams of protein per day per capita in 2011 and was at its lowest, 3.41 grams of protein per day per capita, in 1964.
South Korea ranks 6th of 192 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Animal protein consumption in South Korea, year by year
| Year | grams of protein per day per capita | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.62 grams of protein per day per capita | — |
| 1962 | 3.51 grams of protein per day per capita | -3.2% |
| 1963 | 3.92 grams of protein per day per capita | +11.7% |
| 1964 | 3.41 grams of protein per day per capita | -12.9% |
| 1965 | 4.16 grams of protein per day per capita | +22.0% |
| 1966 | 4.35 grams of protein per day per capita | +4.7% |
| 1967 | 4.69 grams of protein per day per capita | +7.7% |
| 1968 | 5.18 grams of protein per day per capita | +10.5% |
| 1969 | 5.07 grams of protein per day per capita | -2.2% |
| 1970 | 4.17 grams of protein per day per capita | -17.7% |
| 1971 | 5.4 grams of protein per day per capita | +29.3% |
| 1972 | 7.17 grams of protein per day per capita | +32.9% |
| 1973 | 7.61 grams of protein per day per capita | +6.1% |
| 1974 | 8.87 grams of protein per day per capita | +16.6% |
| 1975 | 8.37 grams of protein per day per capita | -5.6% |
| 1976 | 10.77 grams of protein per day per capita | +28.7% |
| 1977 | 7.73 grams of protein per day per capita | -28.2% |
| 1978 | 8.36 grams of protein per day per capita | +8.1% |
| 1979 | 8.91 grams of protein per day per capita | +6.6% |
| 1980 | 8.98 grams of protein per day per capita | +0.8% |
| 1981 | 11.24 grams of protein per day per capita | +25.1% |
| 1982 | 10.78 grams of protein per day per capita | -4.1% |
| 1983 | 10.49 grams of protein per day per capita | -2.7% |
| 1984 | 11.8 grams of protein per day per capita | +12.4% |
| 1985 | 10.8 grams of protein per day per capita | -8.5% |
| 1986 | 12.56 grams of protein per day per capita | +16.3% |
| 1987 | 11.69 grams of protein per day per capita | -6.9% |
| 1988 | 11.81 grams of protein per day per capita | +1.0% |
| 1989 | 12.25 grams of protein per day per capita | +3.7% |
| 1990 | 12.52 grams of protein per day per capita | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 11.26 grams of protein per day per capita | -10.0% |
| 1992 | 12.42 grams of protein per day per capita | +10.3% |
| 1993 | 13.36 grams of protein per day per capita | +7.6% |
| 1994 | 13.8 grams of protein per day per capita | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 13.82 grams of protein per day per capita | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 13.56 grams of protein per day per capita | -1.9% |
| 1997 | 13.5 grams of protein per day per capita | -0.4% |
| 1998 | 12.03 grams of protein per day per capita | -10.9% |
| 1999 | 14.8 grams of protein per day per capita | +23.0% |
| 2000 | 12.54 grams of protein per day per capita | -15.3% |
| 2001 | 13.85 grams of protein per day per capita | +10.4% |
| 2002 | 13.38 grams of protein per day per capita | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 13.41 grams of protein per day per capita | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 14.6 grams of protein per day per capita | +8.8% |
| 2005 | 14.58 grams of protein per day per capita | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 15.82 grams of protein per day per capita | +8.5% |
| 2007 | 15.58 grams of protein per day per capita | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 16.85 grams of protein per day per capita | +8.1% |
| 2009 | 15.97 grams of protein per day per capita | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 16.12 grams of protein per day per capita | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 16.98 grams of protein per day per capita | +5.3% |
| 2012 | 16.27 grams of protein per day per capita | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 15.29 grams of protein per day per capita | -6.0% |
| 2014 | 15.73 grams of protein per day per capita | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 16.83 grams of protein per day per capita | +7.0% |
| 2016 | 16.01 grams of protein per day per capita | -4.9% |
| 2017 | 16.54 grams of protein per day per capita | +3.3% |
| 2018 | 16.74 grams of protein per day per capita | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 16.06 grams of protein per day per capita | -4.1% |
| 2020 | 15.94 grams of protein per day per capita | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 15.65 grams of protein per day per capita | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 15.66 grams of protein per day per capita | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 15.68 grams of protein per day per capita | +0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 15.68 grams of protein per day per capita is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.15 grams of protein per day per capita, 2.5× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 15.68 grams of protein per day per capita is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 10.24 grams of protein per day per capita, 1.5× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.21 grams of protein per day per capita | 3.41 grams of protein per day per capita | 5.18 grams of protein per day per capita | 9 |
| 1970s | 7.74 grams of protein per day per capita | 4.17 grams of protein per day per capita | 10.77 grams of protein per day per capita | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.24 grams of protein per day per capita | 8.98 grams of protein per day per capita | 12.56 grams of protein per day per capita | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.11 grams of protein per day per capita | 11.26 grams of protein per day per capita | 14.8 grams of protein per day per capita | 10 |
| 2000s | 14.66 grams of protein per day per capita | 12.54 grams of protein per day per capita | 16.85 grams of protein per day per capita | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.26 grams of protein per day per capita | 15.29 grams of protein per day per capita | 16.98 grams of protein per day per capita | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.73 grams of protein per day per capita | 15.65 grams of protein per day per capita | 15.94 grams of protein per day per capita | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 3 Kiribati 22.62 grams of protein per day per capita compare
- 4 Tuvalu 16.34 grams of protein per day per capita compare
- 5 Hong Kong 15.69 grams of protein per day per capita compare
- 7 Malaysia 14.84 grams of protein per day per capita compare
- 8 Macao 14.28 grams of protein per day per capita compare
- 9 Seychelles 14.05 grams of protein per day per capita compare
More economy & growth data for South Korea
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -49.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 7.89 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0085 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 307.17 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 2.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0062 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 224.29 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0047 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per capita 168.75 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is animal protein consumption in South Korea?
- Animal protein consumption in South Korea was 15.68 grams of protein per day per capita in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest animal protein consumption recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 16.98 grams of protein per day per capita in 2011.
- What is the lowest animal protein consumption recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.41 grams of protein per day per capita in 1964.
- How does South Korea rank for animal protein consumption?
- South Korea ranks 6th out of 192 countries with data for 2023.
- Is animal protein consumption rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Animal protein consumption. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Quantity that is available for consumption at the end of the supply chain. It does not account for consumer waste, so the quantity that is actually consumed may be lower.