People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in South Korea
South Korea: People not using safely managed sanitation facilities was 347,316 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in South Korea, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in South Korea stood at 347,316 people.
The figure is up 2.4% on the previous year and down 85.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in South Korea peaked at 6.14 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 339,084 people, in 2023.
South Korea ranks 114th of 150 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in South Korea, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.14 million people | — |
| 2001 | 5.89 million people | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 5.64 million people | -4.2% |
| 2003 | 5.39 million people | -4.6% |
| 2004 | 5.12 million people | -4.9% |
| 2005 | 4.85 million people | -5.3% |
| 2006 | 4.58 million people | -5.6% |
| 2007 | 4.30 million people | -6.0% |
| 2008 | 4.03 million people | -6.4% |
| 2009 | 3.76 million people | -6.7% |
| 2010 | 3.48 million people | -7.2% |
| 2011 | 3.22 million people | -7.7% |
| 2012 | 2.95 million people | -8.2% |
| 2013 | 2.68 million people | -9.2% |
| 2014 | 2.40 million people | -10.4% |
| 2015 | 2.12 million people | -11.9% |
| 2016 | 1.82 million people | -14.0% |
| 2017 | 1.52 million people | -16.7% |
| 2018 | 1.21 million people | -20.3% |
| 2019 | 898,670 people | -25.7% |
| 2020 | 584,634 people | -34.9% |
| 2021 | 416,885 people | -28.7% |
| 2022 | 372,957 people | -10.5% |
| 2023 | 339,084 people | -9.1% |
| 2024 | 347,316 people | +2.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 347,316 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 481,577 people, 72% of the median. (60 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 347,316 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 795,840 people, 44% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where People not using safely managed sanitation facilities 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -34.9% | 898,670 people | 584,634 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.97 million people | 3.76 million people | 6.14 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.23 million people | 898,670 people | 3.48 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 412,175 people | 339,084 people | 584,634 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More reference data data for South Korea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9638 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9281 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2074 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in South Korea?
- People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in South Korea was 347,316 people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 6.14 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 339,084 people in 2023.
- How does South Korea rank for people not using safely managed sanitation facilities?
- South Korea ranks 114th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 85.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People not using safely managed sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People not using safely managed sanitation services might practice open defecation, use unimproved sanitation facilities, or use improved facilities that do not safely manage human waste.