Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in South Korea
South Korea: Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day was 0.2% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in South Korea, 2006–2021
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in South Korea stood at 0.2%. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 77.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in South Korea peaked at 0.9% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2019.
That places South Korea 108th out of 120 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.9% | 7 |
| 2020s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 105 Ukraine 0.2% compare
- 106 Switzerland 0.2% compare
- 107 Thailand 0.2% compare
- 109 Iceland 0.1% compare
- 110 Netherlands 0.1% compare
- 111 Luxembourg 0.1% compare
More reference data data for South Korea
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.7164 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.8996 °C (2026)
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.1 °C (2026)
- Consumer price index 135 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.9115 °C (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2.24 °C (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating 2 (2025)
- Free country 2 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in South Korea?
- Poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day in South Korea was 0.2% in 2021, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 0.9% in 2010.
- What is the lowest poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2019.
- How does South Korea rank for poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day?
- South Korea ranks 108th out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Is poverty: share of population living on less than $4.20 a day rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 77.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Poverty: Share of population living on less than $4.20 a day. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage of population living in households with an income or consumption below $4.20 per day.