The same OECD Health Statistics 2025 report released via South Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare showed that the country continues to report the highest suicide rate among OECD member nations, despite progress in life expectancy and health outcomes.
Life expectancy refers to the average number of years a newborn is expected to live based on current mortality trends. Indicators also show improvements in medical outcomes.
South Korea’s avoidable mortality rate, which refers to the average number of deaths from preventable causes, stood at 151 per 100,000 people in 2022, significantly lower than the OECD average of 228.6.
A lower number means the quality of the medical environment is higher.
The rate has declined by 3.1 per cent on a yearly average over the past decade, indicating a steady improvement in health care quality.
The country’s infant mortality rate was also lower, at 2.5 deaths per 1,000 live births, compared with the OECD average of 4.1.
High suicide, smoking rates with rising obesity
Since 2003, the country has topped the list in suicide mortality.
The latest comparable data from 2022 showed South Korea’s suicide rate stood at 23.2 deaths per 100,000 people — more than twice the OECD average of 10.7.
At the same time, there have been signs of gradual improvement.
From 2012 to 2022, South Korea’s suicide rate dropped by 23.4 per cent, from 30.3 to 23.2, outpacing the OECD average decline of 16.4 per cent over the same period.
In 2023, South Korea’s current health expenditure amounted to 8.5 per cent of gross domestic product, slightly lower than the OECD average of 9.1 per cent.
However, due to the rapidly aging population, per capita health spending has grown faster than in most countries.
South Korea’s per capita health expenditure rose by an average of 7.8 per cent annually over the past decade, compared to the OECD average increase of 5.2 per cent.
In terms of purchasing power parity, which is a yardstick for comparing the purchasing power of different currencies, the figure stood at US$4,586 (S$5,900) per capita in 2023.
In 2023, 15.3 per cent of South Koreans aged 15 and older were classified as daily smokers, higher than the OECD average of 13.2 per cent. However, the smoking rate has been steadily declining, down from 19.9 per cent in 2013 and 17.5 per cent in 2018.
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Meanwhile, per capita annual alcohol consumption was 7.8 litres in 2023, below the OECD average of 8.6 litres. Alcohol intake, similar to smoking, has trended downwards over the past decade.
Despite lower rates of overweight and obesity compared with other OECD countries, South Korea is seeing a gradual rise in obesity.
In 2023, 36.5 per cent of people aged 15 and over had a body mass index of 25 or higher – the second-lowest among OECD countries after Japan at 26 per cent. While still low in ranking, this marked an increase from 31.5 per cent in 2013 and 34.3 per cent in 2018. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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