Change air pollutant emissions in South Korea
South Korea: Change air pollutant emissions was 793,040 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
793,040
Change on year
down 2.9%
World rank
67th
of 220 countries
All-time high
2.48 million
in 1949
All-time low
604,805
in 1969
Years of data
273
1750–2022
Change air pollutant emissions in South Korea, 1750–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 793,040 for change air pollutant emissions in 2022.
That represents a change of down 2.9% on the previous year and down 22.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, change air pollutant emissions in South Korea peaked at 2.48 million in 1949 and was at its lowest, 604,805, in 1969.
South Korea ranks 67th of 220 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 273 years of available data.
Change air pollutant emissions in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1750 | 1.13 million | — |
| 1751 | 1.13 million | +0.1% |
| 1752 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1753 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1754 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1755 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1756 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1757 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1758 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1759 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1760 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1761 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1762 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1763 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1764 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1765 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1766 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1767 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1768 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1769 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1770 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1771 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1772 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1773 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1774 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1775 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1776 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1777 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1778 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1779 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1780 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1781 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1782 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1783 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1784 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1785 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1786 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1787 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1788 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1789 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1790 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1791 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1792 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1793 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1794 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1795 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 1.17 million | +0.1% |
| 1797 | 1.17 million | +0.1% |
| 1798 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 1.17 million | +0.1% |
| 1800 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 1.17 million | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 1.18 million | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 1.18 million | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 1.18 million | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 1.18 million | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 1.18 million | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 1.18 million | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 1.18 million | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 1.17 million | -0.4% |
| 1822 | 1.17 million | -0.4% |
| 1823 | 1.17 million | -0.4% |
| 1824 | 1.16 million | -0.4% |
| 1825 | 1.16 million | -0.4% |
| 1826 | 1.15 million | -0.4% |
| 1827 | 1.15 million | -0.4% |
| 1828 | 1.14 million | -0.4% |
| 1829 | 1.14 million | -0.4% |
| 1830 | 1.14 million | -0.4% |
| 1831 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1832 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1833 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1834 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1835 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1836 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1837 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1838 | 1.14 million | +0.1% |
| 1839 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1840 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1841 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1842 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1843 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1844 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1845 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1846 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1847 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1848 | 1.15 million | +0.1% |
| 1849 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1850 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1851 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1852 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1853 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1854 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1855 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1856 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1857 | 1.16 million | +0.1% |
| 1858 | 1.17 million | +0.1% |
| 1859 | 1.17 million | +0.1% |
| 1860 | 1.17 million | +0.1% |
| 1861 | 1.17 million | +0.1% |
| 1862 | 1.17 million | +0.1% |
| 1863 | 1.17 million | +0.1% |
| 1864 | 1.17 million | +0.1% |
| 1865 | 1.17 million | +0.1% |
| 1866 | 1.18 million | +0.1% |
| 1867 | 1.18 million | +0.1% |
| 1868 | 1.18 million | +0.1% |
| 1869 | 1.18 million | +0.1% |
| 1870 | 1.18 million | +0.1% |
| 1871 | 1.18 million | +0.1% |
| 1872 | 1.18 million | +0.1% |
| 1873 | 1.18 million | +0.1% |
| 1874 | 1.18 million | +0.1% |
| 1875 | 1.18 million | +0.1% |
| 1876 | 1.18 million | +0.1% |
| 1877 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1878 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1879 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1880 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1881 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1882 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1883 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1884 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1885 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1886 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1887 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1888 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1889 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1890 | 1.19 million | +0.1% |
| 1891 | 1.20 million | +0.1% |
| 1892 | 1.20 million | +0.1% |
| 1893 | 1.20 million | +0.1% |
| 1894 | 1.20 million | +0.1% |
| 1895 | 1.20 million | +0.1% |
| 1896 | 1.20 million | +0.1% |
| 1897 | 1.20 million | +0.1% |
| 1898 | 1.20 million | +0.1% |
| 1899 | 1.20 million | +0.1% |
| 1900 | 1.20 million | +0.1% |
| 1901 | 1.20 million | +0.2% |
| 1902 | 1.21 million | +0.2% |
| 1903 | 1.21 million | +0.2% |
| 1904 | 1.21 million | +0.2% |
| 1905 | 1.21 million | +0.2% |
| 1906 | 1.21 million | +0.2% |
| 1907 | 1.22 million | +0.2% |
| 1908 | 1.22 million | +0.2% |
| 1909 | 1.22 million | +0.2% |
| 1910 | 1.22 million | +0.2% |
| 1911 | 1.24 million | +1.1% |
| 1912 | 1.25 million | +1.1% |
| 1913 | 1.26 million | +1.1% |
| 1914 | 1.29 million | +1.7% |
| 1915 | 1.31 million | +1.6% |
| 1916 | 1.33 million | +1.7% |
| 1917 | 1.35 million | +1.7% |
| 1918 | 1.37 million | +1.7% |
| 1919 | 1.40 million | +1.7% |
| 1920 | 1.42 million | +1.7% |
| 1921 | 1.45 million | +2.0% |
| 1922 | 1.48 million | +2.0% |
| 1923 | 1.51 million | +2.0% |
| 1924 | 1.54 million | +2.0% |
| 1925 | 1.57 million | +1.9% |
| 1926 | 1.59 million | +1.5% |
| 1927 | 1.62 million | +1.5% |
| 1928 | 1.64 million | +1.5% |
| 1929 | 1.67 million | +1.5% |
| 1930 | 1.69 million | +1.6% |
| 1931 | 1.72 million | +1.7% |
| 1932 | 1.75 million | +1.8% |
| 1933 | 1.78 million | +1.7% |
| 1934 | 1.82 million | +1.8% |
| 1935 | 1.85 million | +1.7% |
| 1936 | 1.87 million | +1.3% |
| 1937 | 1.89 million | +1.3% |
| 1938 | 1.92 million | +1.3% |
| 1939 | 1.95 million | +1.4% |
| 1940 | 1.98 million | +1.5% |
| 1941 | 2.01 million | +1.7% |
| 1942 | 2.04 million | +1.7% |
| 1943 | 2.08 million | +1.7% |
| 1944 | 2.11 million | +1.7% |
| 1945 | 2.23 million | +5.4% |
| 1946 | 2.36 million | +6.1% |
| 1947 | 2.42 million | +2.5% |
| 1948 | 2.45 million | +1.2% |
| 1949 | 2.48 million | +1.3% |
| 1950 | 1.77 million | -28.6% |
| 1951 | 1.69 million | -4.9% |
| 1952 | 1.60 million | -4.9% |
| 1953 | 1.53 million | -4.8% |
| 1954 | 1.45 million | -5.0% |
| 1955 | 1.38 million | -4.7% |
| 1956 | 1.32 million | -4.4% |
| 1957 | 1.26 million | -4.8% |
| 1958 | 1.19 million | -5.3% |
| 1959 | 1.13 million | -4.8% |
| 1960 | 1.07 million | -6.0% |
| 1961 | 991,507 | -7.0% |
| 1962 | 914,755 | -7.7% |
| 1963 | 836,724 | -8.5% |
| 1964 | 726,229 | -13.2% |
| 1965 | 613,486 | -15.5% |
| 1966 | 667,862 | +8.9% |
| 1967 | 664,086 | -0.6% |
| 1968 | 621,000 | -6.5% |
| 1969 | 604,805 | -2.6% |
| 1970 | 607,580 | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 624,044 | +2.7% |
| 1972 | 605,429 | -3.0% |
| 1973 | 673,483 | +11.2% |
| 1974 | 657,457 | -2.4% |
| 1975 | 641,025 | -2.5% |
| 1976 | 699,990 | +9.2% |
| 1977 | 792,418 | +13.2% |
| 1978 | 851,192 | +7.4% |
| 1979 | 980,096 | +15.1% |
| 1980 | 1.01 million | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 1.01 million | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 988,722 | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 1.03 million | +3.7% |
| 1984 | 1.12 million | +8.9% |
| 1985 | 1.18 million | +5.9% |
| 1986 | 1.22 million | +3.3% |
| 1987 | 1.26 million | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 1.35 million | +7.0% |
| 1989 | 1.38 million | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 1.47 million | +6.6% |
| 1991 | 1.40 million | -4.6% |
| 1992 | 1.39 million | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 1.39 million | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 1.37 million | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 1.35 million | -1.6% |
| 1996 | 1.35 million | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 1.35 million | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 1.23 million | -8.8% |
| 1999 | 1.23 million | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 1.24 million | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 1.17 million | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 1.12 million | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 1.10 million | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 1.11 million | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 1.05 million | -5.2% |
| 2006 | 1.10 million | +4.4% |
| 2007 | 1.05 million | -4.4% |
| 2008 | 975,969 | -7.0% |
| 2009 | 1.06 million | +8.4% |
| 2010 | 1.06 million | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.04 million | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 1.03 million | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 1.03 million | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 978,621 | -4.6% |
| 2015 | 958,587 | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 927,054 | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 921,874 | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 916,228 | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 863,472 | -5.8% |
| 2020 | 831,082 | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 817,014 | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 793,040 | -2.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 793,040 is above the median for high income countries, which is 150,374, 5.3× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 793,040 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 179,591, 4.4× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Change air pollutant emissions 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | -28.6% | 2.48 million | 1.77 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1750s | 1.14 million | 1.13 million | 1.14 million | 10 |
| 1760s | 1.14 million | 1.14 million | 1.15 million | 10 |
| 1770s | 1.15 million | 1.15 million | 1.16 million | 10 |
| 1780s | 1.16 million | 1.16 million | 1.16 million | 10 |
| 1790s | 1.16 million | 1.16 million | 1.17 million | 10 |
| 1800s | 1.17 million | 1.17 million | 1.17 million | 10 |
| 1810s | 1.18 million | 1.17 million | 1.18 million | 10 |
| 1820s | 1.16 million | 1.14 million | 1.18 million | 10 |
| 1830s | 1.14 million | 1.14 million | 1.15 million | 10 |
| 1840s | 1.15 million | 1.15 million | 1.16 million | 10 |
| 1850s | 1.16 million | 1.16 million | 1.17 million | 10 |
| 1860s | 1.17 million | 1.17 million | 1.18 million | 10 |
| 1870s | 1.18 million | 1.18 million | 1.19 million | 10 |
| 1880s | 1.19 million | 1.19 million | 1.19 million | 10 |
| 1890s | 1.20 million | 1.19 million | 1.20 million | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.21 million | 1.20 million | 1.22 million | 10 |
| 1910s | 1.30 million | 1.22 million | 1.40 million | 10 |
| 1920s | 1.55 million | 1.42 million | 1.67 million | 10 |
| 1930s | 1.82 million | 1.69 million | 1.95 million | 10 |
| 1940s | 2.22 million | 1.98 million | 2.48 million | 10 |
| 1950s | 1.43 million | 1.13 million | 1.77 million | 10 |
| 1960s | 770,670 | 604,805 | 1.07 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 713,271 | 605,429 | 980,096 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.15 million | 988,722 | 1.38 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.35 million | 1.23 million | 1.47 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.10 million | 975,969 | 1.24 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 971,793 | 863,472 | 1.06 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 813,712 | 793,040 | 831,082 | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 64 Turkmenistan 815,099 compare
- 65 Guinea 802,028 compare
- 66 Tajikistan 794,717 compare
- 68 United Arab Emirates 779,663 compare
- 69 Czechia 778,281 compare
- 70 Benin 744,207 compare
More climate change data for South Korea
- Share co2 vs population 0.2146 (2100)
- Co2 gdp growth, annual growth rate -49.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Co2 gdp pop growth, annual growth rate -273.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate -0.1285 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1214 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.8117 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate -78.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population 81.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is change air pollutant emissions in South Korea?
- Change air pollutant emissions in South Korea was 793,040 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest change air pollutant emissions recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.48 million in 1949.
- What is the lowest change air pollutant emissions recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 604,805 in 1969.
- How does South Korea rank for change air pollutant emissions?
- South Korea ranks 67th out of 220 countries with data for 2022.
- Is change air pollutant emissions rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Change air pollutant emissions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 273 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).