Fixed telephone subscriptions in South Korea
South Korea: Fixed telephone subscriptions was 21.29 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Fixed telephone subscriptions in South Korea, 1965–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
The most recent figure for fixed telephone subscriptions in South Korea is 21.29 million, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.9% on the previous year and down 27.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fixed telephone subscriptions in South Korea peaked at 30.33 million in 2013 and was at its lowest, 220,635, in 1965.
That places South Korea 11th out of 214 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.
Fixed telephone subscriptions in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 220,635 | — |
| 1966 | 220,635 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 220,635 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 220,635 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 220,635 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 481,207 | +118.1% |
| 1971 | 481,207 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 481,207 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 481,207 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 481,207 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.06 million | +119.9% |
| 1976 | 1.27 million | +20.1% |
| 1977 | 1.54 million | +21.0% |
| 1978 | 1.88 million | +22.3% |
| 1979 | 2.29 million | +22.0% |
| 1980 | 2.70 million | +18.0% |
| 1981 | 3.26 million | +20.7% |
| 1982 | 4.08 million | +25.0% |
| 1983 | 4.81 million | +17.9% |
| 1984 | 5.59 million | +16.3% |
| 1985 | 6.52 million | +16.5% |
| 1986 | 7.52 million | +15.4% |
| 1987 | 8.63 million | +14.7% |
| 1988 | 10.31 million | +19.5% |
| 1989 | 11.79 million | +14.4% |
| 1990 | 13.28 million | +12.6% |
| 1991 | 14.57 million | +9.8% |
| 1992 | 15.59 million | +7.0% |
| 1993 | 16.69 million | +7.0% |
| 1994 | 17.65 million | +5.8% |
| 1995 | 18.60 million | +5.4% |
| 1996 | 19.60 million | +5.4% |
| 1997 | 20.42 million | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 20.09 million | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 25.62 million | +27.5% |
| 2000 | 25.86 million | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 25.77 million | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 25.73 million | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 25.13 million | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 23.57 million | -6.2% |
| 2005 | 23.91 million | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 22.43 million | -6.2% |
| 2007 | 23.01 million | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 24.36 million | +5.9% |
| 2009 | 26.89 million | +10.4% |
| 2010 | 28.54 million | +6.1% |
| 2011 | 29.47 million | +3.2% |
| 2012 | 30.10 million | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 30.33 million | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 29.48 million | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 28.88 million | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 28.04 million | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 26.84 million | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 25.91 million | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 24.73 million | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 23.86 million | -3.5% |
| 2021 | 23.21 million | -2.7% |
| 2022 | 22.81 million | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 22.16 million | -2.9% |
| 2024 | 21.29 million | -3.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 21.29 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 445,236, 47.8× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 21.29 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 81,260, 262.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fixed telephone subscriptions 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +119.9% | 481,207 | 1.06 million |
| 1970 | +118.1% | 220,635 | 481,207 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 220,635 | 220,635 | 220,635 | 5 |
| 1970s | 1.04 million | 481,207 | 2.29 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.52 million | 2.70 million | 11.79 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.21 million | 13.28 million | 25.62 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.67 million | 22.43 million | 26.89 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.23 million | 24.73 million | 30.33 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.67 million | 21.29 million | 23.86 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More infrastructure data for South Korea
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 89.22 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 172.52 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 41.17 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.4114 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -3.9 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 21.29 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.72 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 89.22 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fixed telephone subscriptions in South Korea?
- Fixed telephone subscriptions in South Korea was 21.29 million in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest fixed telephone subscriptions recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 30.33 million in 2013.
- What is the lowest fixed telephone subscriptions recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 220,635 in 1965.
- How does South Korea rank for fixed telephone subscriptions?
- South Korea ranks 11th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is fixed telephone subscriptions rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Fixed telephone subscriptions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Fixed telephone subscriptions refers to the sum of active number of analogue fixed telephone lines, voice-over-IP (VoIP) subscriptions, fixed wireless local loop (WLL) subscriptions, ISDN voice-channel equivalents and fixed public payphones.