Statizoid

Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Korea

South Korea: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people was 172.52 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
172.52 per 100 people
Change on year
up 6.4%
World rank
17th
of 212 countries
All-time high
172.52 per 100 people
in 2024
All-time low
0 per 100 people
in 1980
Years of data
43
1980–2024

Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Korea, 1980–2024

0501001501980200220241980: 0 per 100 people1981: 0 per 100 people1982: 0 per 100 people1983: 0 per 100 people1986: 0.017 per 100 people1987: 0.024 per 100 people1988: 0.047 per 100 people1989: 0.091 per 100 people1990: 0.181 per 100 people1991: 0.373 per 100 people1992: 0.608 per 100 people1993: 1 per 100 people1994: 2.1 per 100 people1995: 3.6 per 100 people1996: 7 per 100 people1997: 15 per 100 people1998: 30.3 per 100 people1999: 50.4 per 100 people2000: 57.3 per 100 people2001: 61.7 per 100 people2002: 68.4 per 100 people2003: 70.7 per 100 people2004: 76.7 per 100 people2005: 80.1 per 100 people2006: 83.7 per 100 people2007: 92.1 per 100 people2008: 94.3 per 100 people2009: 98.8 per 100 people2010: 104.1 per 100 people2011: 106.9 per 100 people2012: 108.1 per 100 people2013: 109.2 per 100 people2014: 113.4 per 100 people2015: 115.6 per 100 people2016: 119.5 per 100 people2017: 123.6 per 100 people2018: 128.5 per 100 people2019: 133.1 per 100 people2020: 136 per 100 people2021: 140.5 per 100 people2022: 148.7 per 100 people2023: 162.1 per 100 people2024: 172.5 per 100 people

Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Korea is 172.52 per 100 people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 43 years on record.

The figure is up 6.4% on the previous year and up 52.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Korea peaked at 172.52 per 100 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1980.

That places South Korea 17th out of 212 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.

Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Korea, year by year

Year per 100 people Change
1980 0 per 100 people —
1981 0 per 100 people —
1982 0 per 100 people —
1983 0 per 100 people —
1986 0.017 per 100 people —
1987 0.0242 per 100 people +42.6%
1988 0.0473 per 100 people +95.8%
1989 0.0912 per 100 people +92.6%
1990 0.1813 per 100 people +98.9%
1991 0.3734 per 100 people +105.9%
1992 0.6083 per 100 people +62.9%
1993 1.05 per 100 people +72.6%
1994 2.13 per 100 people +102.5%
1995 3.62 per 100 people +70.1%
1996 6.97 per 100 people +92.7%
1997 14.97 per 100 people +114.8%
1998 30.31 per 100 people +102.5%
1999 50.39 per 100 people +66.3%
2000 57.34 per 100 people +13.8%
2001 61.74 per 100 people +7.7%
2002 68.38 per 100 people +10.7%
2003 70.7 per 100 people +3.4%
2004 76.7 per 100 people +8.5%
2005 80.13 per 100 people +4.5%
2006 83.73 per 100 people +4.5%
2007 92.09 per 100 people +10.0%
2008 94.31 per 100 people +2.4%
2009 98.76 per 100 people +4.7%
2010 104.1 per 100 people +5.4%
2011 106.88 per 100 people +2.7%
2012 108.11 per 100 people +1.2%
2013 109.21 per 100 people +1.0%
2014 113.36 per 100 people +3.8%
2015 115.59 per 100 people +2.0%
2016 119.49 per 100 people +3.4%
2017 123.64 per 100 people +3.5%
2018 128.5 per 100 people +3.9%
2019 133.08 per 100 people +3.6%
2020 135.97 per 100 people +2.2%
2021 140.52 per 100 people +3.3%
2022 148.68 per 100 people +5.8%
2023 162.11 per 100 people +9.0%
2024 172.52 per 100 people +6.4%

South Korea compared with similar countries

  • South Korea's 172.52 per 100 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 125.74 per 100 people, 1.4× the median. (82 countries reporting)
  • South Korea's 172.52 per 100 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 115.3 per 100 people, 1.5× the median. (37 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people 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.

YearChange FromTo
1997 +114.8% 6.97 per 100 people 14.97 per 100 people
1991 +105.9% 0.1813 per 100 people 0.3734 per 100 people
1994 +102.5% 1.05 per 100 people 2.13 per 100 people
1998 +102.5% 14.97 per 100 people 30.31 per 100 people
1990 +98.9% 0.0912 per 100 people 0.1813 per 100 people
1988 +95.8% 0.0242 per 100 people 0.0473 per 100 people

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.0225 per 100 people 0 per 100 people 0.0912 per 100 people 8
1990s 11.06 per 100 people 0.1813 per 100 people 50.39 per 100 people 10
2000s 78.39 per 100 people 57.34 per 100 people 98.76 per 100 people 10
2010s 116.2 per 100 people 104.1 per 100 people 133.08 per 100 people 10
2020s 151.96 per 100 people 135.97 per 100 people 172.52 per 100 people 5

Countries ranked near South Korea

  1. 14 Colombia 174.09 per 100 people compare
  2. 15 Iran 174.07 per 100 people compare
  3. 16 Mauritius 172.68 per 100 people compare
  4. 18 Singapore 170.78 per 100 people compare
  5. 19 Kuwait 167.68 per 100 people compare
  6. 20 Botswana 164 per 100 people compare

See the full ranking of 212 places →

More science & technology data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Korea?
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Korea was 172.52 per 100 people in 2024, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in South Korea?
The highest recorded value was 172.52 per 100 people in 2024.
What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in South Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1980.
How does South Korea rank for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people?
South Korea ranks 17th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
Is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in South Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 52.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Korea data come from?
The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 43 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Korea. Statizoid, drawing on International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/mobile-cellular-subscriptions-per-100-people-2/korea-rep/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/mobile-cellular-subscriptions-per-100-people-2/korea-rep/">Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Korea</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people
Unit
per 100 people
Source
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
212 places, 8,985 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed

This number can get over 100 when the average person has more than one subscription to a mobile service.