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
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Korea, 1980–2024
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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
More science & technology data for South Korea
- Scientific and technical journal articles 71,724 (2023)
- Mobile phone subscriptions 89.22 million (2024)
- Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people 172.52 per 100 people (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 51,753 (2021)
- Share of the population using the Internet 97.9% (2024)
- Patent applications, residents 186,245 (2021)
- Research and development expenditure 4.9% (2023)
- Number of people using the Internet 50.59 million users (2021)
- Landline Internet subscriptions per 100 people 47.8 per 100 people (2024)
- Landline Internet subscriptions 24.72 million (2024)
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).
About this data
This number can get over 100 when the average person has more than one subscription to a mobile service.