Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Korea

Korea: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income was 12.6% in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
12.6%
Change on year
up 2.4%
World rank
50th
of 130 countries
All-time high
15.5%
in 2016
All-time low
12.3%
in 2010
Years of data
11
2006–2021

Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Korea, 2006–2021

0510152006201320212006: 12.82008: 12.92010: 12.32012: 12.82014: 12.32016: 15.52017: 15.32018: 14.22019: 13.52020: 12.32021: 12.6

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

Korea recorded 12.6% for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in 2021.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 2.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Korea peaked at 15.5% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 12.3%, in 2010.

That places Korea 50th out of 130 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.

Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Korea, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%) in Korea, 2006 to 2021.
Year Value Change
2006 12.8%
2008 12.9% +0.8%
2010 12.3% -4.7%
2012 12.8% +4.1%
2014 12.3% -3.9%
2016 15.5% +26.0%
2017 15.3% -1.3%
2018 14.2% -7.2%
2019 13.5% -4.9%
2020 12.3% -8.9%
2021 12.6% +2.4%

Korea compared with similar countries

  • Korea's 12.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.7%, 1.1× the median. (41 countries reporting)
  • Korea's 12.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 11.3%, 1.1× the median. (11 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 12.9% 12.8% 12.9% 2
2010s 13.7% 12.3% 15.5% 7
2020s 12.4% 12.3% 12.6% 2

Countries ranked near Korea

  1. 47 Togo 13.2% compare
  2. 48 Greece 12.9% compare
  3. 49 Gambia 12.8% compare
  4. 50 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 12.6% compare
  5. 50 Republic of Korea 12.6% compare
  6. 53 Germany 12.5% compare

See the full ranking of 131 places →

More infrastructure data for Korea

All data for Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Korea?
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Korea was 12.6% in 2021, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Korea?
The highest recorded value was 15.5% in 2016.
What is the lowest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 12.3% in 2010.
How does Korea rank for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
Korea ranks 50th out of 130 countries with data for 2021.
Is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income rising or falling in Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Korea data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in Korea. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-people-living-below-50-percent-of-median-income-percent-2/korea-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
131 places, 2,510 data points, 1963–2025
Last refreshed