Share of people who own a mobile phone, by sex in South Korea
South Korea: Share of people who own a mobile phone, by sex was 98.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of people who own a mobile phone, by sex in South Korea, 2014–2024
Source: International Telecommunication Union – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 98.2% for share of people who own a mobile phone, by sex in 2024. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 20.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of people who own a mobile phone, by sex in South Korea peaked at 98.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 81.6%, in 2014.
South Korea ranks 8th of 37 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Share of people who own a mobile phone, by sex in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 81.6% | — |
| 2015 | 94.5% | +15.8% |
| 2016 | 87.6% | -7.3% |
| 2017 | 93.1% | +6.3% |
| 2018 | 94.8% | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 95.3% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 95.4% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 96.9% | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 96.6% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 96.7% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 98.2% | +1.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 98.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 98.2%, 1.0× the median. (17 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 98.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 95.4%, 1.0× the median. (8 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 91.1% | 81.6% | 95.3% | 6 |
| 2020s | 96.8% | 95.4% | 98.2% | 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)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 50,459 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 50,459 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of people who own a mobile phone, by sex in South Korea?
- Share of people who own a mobile phone, by sex in South Korea was 98.2% in 2024, according to International Telecommunication Union – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of people who own a mobile phone, by sex recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 98.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of people who own a mobile phone, by sex recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 81.6% in 2014.
- How does South Korea rank for share of people who own a mobile phone, by sex?
- South Korea ranks 8th out of 37 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of people who own a mobile phone, by sex rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Telecommunication Union – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of people who own a mobile phone, by sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone, by sex (%).