Alcohol consumption per person in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Alcohol consumption per person was 7.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
7.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
Change on year
down 4.9%
World rank
49th
of 185 countries
All-time high
10.93 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2000
All-time low
7.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2020
Years of data
21
2000–2020
Alcohol consumption per person in Republic of Korea, 2000–2020
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age.
Analysis
In 2020, alcohol consumption per person in Republic of Korea stood at 7.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
The figure is down 4.9% on the previous year and down 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol consumption per person in Republic of Korea peaked at 10.93 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2000 and was at its lowest, 7.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age, in 2020.
That places Republic of Korea 49th out of 185 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Alcohol consumption per person in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 10.93 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | — |
| 2001 | 10.93 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 10.71 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 9.96 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -7.0% |
| 2004 | 9.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 9.51 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 9.45 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 9.54 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 9.58 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 9.53 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 9.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.6% |
| 2011 | 9.37 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 9.33 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 9.05 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 8.81 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 8.52 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 8.47 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 8.29 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 8.19 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 8.19 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 7.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -4.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.99 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 9.45 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10.93 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.76 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 8.19 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 9.38 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 7.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 7.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 1 |
Countries ranked near Republic of Korea
- 46 Viet Nam 8.04 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 47 Thailand 7.99 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 48 Iceland 7.94 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 50 Brazil 7.7 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 51 Mongolia 7.68 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 52 Croatia 7.65 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
More economy & growth data for Republic of Korea
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate -2.97 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2913 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 10,553 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 1.24 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 414.37 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 15.01 million current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate -1.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2815 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 10,198 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 0.6183 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is alcohol consumption per person in Republic of Korea?
- Alcohol consumption per person in Republic of Korea was 7.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest alcohol consumption per person recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 10.93 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2000.
- What is the lowest alcohol consumption per person recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.79 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for alcohol consumption per person?
- Republic of Korea ranks 49th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is alcohol consumption per person rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Alcohol consumption per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated consumption of alcohol is measured in liters of pure alcohol per person aged 15 or older, per year.