Number of people using the Internet in South Korea
South Korea: Number of people using the Internet was 50.66 million people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Number of people using the Internet in South Korea, 1990–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people using the internet in South Korea is 50.66 million people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people using the internet in South Korea peaked at 50.66 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9,989 people, in 1990.
South Korea ranks 22nd of 208 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people using the Internet in South Korea, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9,989 people | — |
| 1991 | 19,959 people | +99.8% |
| 1992 | 43,048 people | +115.7% |
| 1993 | 110,487 people | +156.7% |
| 1994 | 138,835 people | +25.7% |
| 1995 | 369,763 people | +166.3% |
| 1996 | 737,500 people | +99.5% |
| 1997 | 1.65 million people | +124.3% |
| 1998 | 3.14 million people | +89.7% |
| 1999 | 11.00 million people | +250.6% |
| 2000 | 21.01 million people | +91.0% |
| 2001 | 26.81 million people | +27.6% |
| 2002 | 28.30 million people | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 31.37 million people | +10.8% |
| 2004 | 34.96 million people | +11.4% |
| 2005 | 35.42 million people | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 37.83 million people | +6.8% |
| 2007 | 38.36 million people | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 39.73 million people | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 40.24 million people | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 41.48 million people | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 41.83 million people | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 42.20 million people | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 42.75 million people | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 44.43 million people | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 45.86 million people | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 47.55 million people | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 48.83 million people | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 49.53 million people | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 49.78 million people | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 50.02 million people | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 50.51 million people | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 50.21 million people | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 50.38 million people | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 50.66 million people | +0.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 50.66 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.26 million people, 15.5× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 50.66 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 693,850 people, 73.0× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Number of people using the Internet 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +250.6% | 3.14 million people | 11.00 million people |
| 1995 | +166.3% | 138,835 people | 369,763 people |
| 1993 | +156.7% | 43,048 people | 110,487 people |
| 1997 | +124.3% | 737,500 people | 1.65 million people |
| 1992 | +115.7% | 19,959 people | 43,048 people |
| 1991 | +99.8% | 9,989 people | 19,959 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.72 million people | 9,989 people | 11.00 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.40 million people | 21.01 million people | 40.24 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.42 million people | 41.48 million people | 49.78 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.36 million people | 50.02 million people | 50.66 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More science & technology data for South Korea
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 172.52 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.72 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 89.22 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 859.55 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 6.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 6.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 71,724 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0014 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people using the internet in South Korea?
- Number of people using the internet in South Korea was 50.66 million people in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database - International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi.
- What is the highest number of people using the internet recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 50.66 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest number of people using the internet recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,989 people in 1990.
- How does South Korea rank for number of people using the internet?
- South Korea ranks 22nd out of 208 countries with data for 2024.
- Is number of people using the internet rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.0%. 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), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, vi, published as part of Number of people using the Internet. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people who used the Internet in the last three months.