Spirits consumption per person in South Korea
South Korea: Spirits consumption per person was 0.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
0.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year
Change on year
up 47.6%
World rank
137th
of 187 countries
All-time high
2.7 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year
in 1994
All-time low
0.09 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year
in 1998
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Spirits consumption per person in South Korea, 1961–2022
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in Litres of pure alcohol per person per year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for spirits consumption per person in South Korea is 0.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, measured in 2022.
The figure is up 47.6% on the previous year and down 16.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, spirits consumption per person in South Korea peaked at 2.7 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1994 and was at its lowest, 0.09 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, in 1998.
South Korea ranks 137th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Spirits consumption per person in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.41 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | — |
| 1962 | 0.41 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.34 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -17.1% |
| 1964 | 0.33 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -2.9% |
| 1965 | 0.5 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +51.5% |
| 1966 | 0.6 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +20.0% |
| 1967 | 0.2 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -66.7% |
| 1968 | 0.18 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -10.0% |
| 1969 | 0.19 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +5.6% |
| 1970 | 0.21 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +10.5% |
| 1971 | 0.23 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +9.5% |
| 1972 | 0.23 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.26 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +13.0% |
| 1974 | 0.3 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +15.4% |
| 1975 | 0.38 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +26.7% |
| 1976 | 0.4 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +5.3% |
| 1977 | 0.42 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +5.0% |
| 1978 | 0.4 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -4.8% |
| 1979 | 0.38 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -5.0% |
| 1980 | 0.38 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.42 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +10.5% |
| 1982 | 0.44 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +4.8% |
| 1983 | 0.45 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 0.48 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +6.7% |
| 1985 | 0.44 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -8.3% |
| 1986 | 0.45 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 0.46 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 0.52 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +13.0% |
| 1989 | 0.5 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -3.8% |
| 1990 | 0.59 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +18.0% |
| 1991 | 2.47 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +318.6% |
| 1992 | 0.58 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -76.5% |
| 1993 | 2.61 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +350.0% |
| 1994 | 2.7 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 2.67 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 0.16 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -94.0% |
| 1997 | 0.12 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -25.0% |
| 1998 | 0.09 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -25.0% |
| 1999 | 0.12 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +33.3% |
| 2000 | 0.72 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +500.0% |
| 2001 | 0.87 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +20.8% |
| 2002 | 0.67 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -23.0% |
| 2003 | 0.68 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 0.94 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +38.2% |
| 2005 | 0.34 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -63.8% |
| 2006 | 0.33 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 0.37 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +12.1% |
| 2008 | 0.33 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -10.8% |
| 2009 | 0.27 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -18.2% |
| 2010 | 0.4 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +48.1% |
| 2011 | 0.38 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -5.0% |
| 2012 | 0.37 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 0.38 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 0.33 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -13.2% |
| 2015 | 0.34 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 0.3 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -11.8% |
| 2017 | 0.28 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -6.7% |
| 2018 | 0.26 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -7.1% |
| 2019 | 0.23 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -11.5% |
| 2020 | 0.21 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | -8.7% |
| 2021 | 0.21 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | +47.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.79 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, 17% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.45 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year, 69% of the median. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Spirits consumption per person 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +500.0% | 0.12 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.72 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year |
| 1993 | +350.0% | 0.58 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.61 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year |
| 1991 | +318.6% | 0.59 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.47 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year |
| 1996 | -94.0% | 2.67 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.16 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.3511 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.18 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.6 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.321 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.21 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.42 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.454 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.38 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.52 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.21 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.09 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 2.7 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.552 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.27 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.94 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.327 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.23 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.4 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2433 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.21 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 0.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 134 Sao Tome and Principe 0.3437 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 135 Costa Rica 0.3391 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 136 United Arab Emirates 0.3151 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 138 Kenya 0.292 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 139 Oman 0.2864 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
- 140 Rwanda 0.2708 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year compare
More economy & growth data for South Korea
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 41.23 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.022 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 797.74 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 15.80 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 22.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0084 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 305.78 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 4.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2332 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 8,447 includes gold, current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is spirits consumption per person in South Korea?
- Spirits consumption per person in South Korea was 0.31 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 2022, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest spirits consumption per person recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.7 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1994.
- What is the lowest spirits consumption per person recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.09 Litres of pure alcohol per person per year in 1998.
- How does South Korea rank for spirits consumption per person?
- South Korea ranks 137th out of 187 countries with data for 2022.
- Is spirits consumption per person rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Spirits consumption per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Spirit consumption per person, measured in liters of pure alcohol per year. Spirits are distilled alcoholic drinks and include gin, rum, whisky, tequila and vodka.