Number of clinical trials in South Korea

South Korea: Number of clinical trials was 282 trials in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
282 trials
Change on year
down 29.9%
World rank
12th
of 153 countries
All-time high
467 trials
in 2018
All-time low
3 trials
in 2003
Years of data
22
2003–2024

Number of clinical trials in South Korea, 2003–2024

01002003004005002003201320242003: 3 trials2004: 11 trials2005: 17 trials2006: 28 trials2007: 61 trials2008: 112 trials2009: 164 trials2010: 222 trials2011: 341 trials2012: 382 trials2013: 443 trials2014: 464 trials2015: 439 trials2016: 406 trials2017: 452 trials2018: 467 trials2019: 461 trials2020: 423 trials2021: 454 trials2022: 464 trials2023: 402 trials2024: 282 trials

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in trials.

Analysis

The most recent figure for number of clinical trials in South Korea is 282 trials, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 29.9% on the previous year and down 39.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of clinical trials in South Korea peaked at 467 trials in 2018 and was at its lowest, 3 trials, in 2003.

That places South Korea 12th out of 153 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 56.57 trials 3 trials 164 trials 7
2010s 407.7 trials 222 trials 467 trials 10
2020s 405 trials 282 trials 464 trials 5

Countries ranked near South Korea

  1. 9 United Kingdom 487 trials compare
  2. 10 Pakistan 452 trials compare
  3. 11 Germany 420 trials compare
  4. 13 Denmark 258 trials compare
  5. 14 Netherlands 251 trials compare
  6. 15 Taiwan 235 trials compare

See the full ranking of 153 places →

More reference data data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of clinical trials in South Korea?
Number of clinical trials in South Korea was 282 trials in 2024, according to ClinicalTrials.gov (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest number of clinical trials recorded in South Korea?
The highest recorded value was 467 trials in 2018.
What is the lowest number of clinical trials recorded in South Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 3 trials in 2003.
How does South Korea rank for number of clinical trials?
South Korea ranks 12th out of 153 countries with data for 2024.
Is number of clinical trials rising or falling in South Korea?
Over the last ten years it is down 39.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Korea data come from?
The figures come from ClinicalTrials.gov (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of clinical trials. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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About this data

Indicator
Number of clinical trials
Unit
trials
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
153 places, 2,621 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

Annual number of completed clinical trials registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov database for each country. Registration in the ClinicalTrials database is mandatory for trials in the United States, but voluntary for other countries.