Homicide Rate in South Korea: 1800 to Today (and Tomorrow)
Updated September 2026 · ⬇ download this dataset (CSV) · methodology
In the 2020s, homicide rate in South Korea stands at 0.6 per 100,000 — ranking #10 of 157 countries. In 1900 it was 3.4 per 100,000. (Source: UNODC / World Bank, compiled by MYRIAD)
The statistical decline of homicide in South Korea reveals a profound shift in the architecture of everyday safety. When we translate these ratios into human experiences, we are measuring the steady erosion of interpersonal violence across generations. Each increment represents a life reclaimed from early termination, reflecting a society that has consistently reorganized itself toward stability. These numbers are not mere abstractions; they are the cumulative result of millions of private choices and public structures that have rendered the act of living significantly more secure.
The historical arc begins in the 1800s estimate 6.13, a period of instability that saw a gradual downward trajectory through the 1850s estimate 4.77 and 1900s estimate 3.4. By the 1950s, the rate reached 1.78, continuing to retreat through the 1990s 1.05 and into the 2020s 0.6. Projections for the coming decades suggest the trend will continue, with the 2100s projection 0.4 expected to mark the lowest point in this three-century narrative of receding violence.
For someone born in South Korea, these statistics dictate the probability of an unnaturally shortened life. If you lived in the 1800s estimate 6.13, the environment carried a risk factor nearly ten times higher than the 2020s 0.6. This transition to the 2030s projection 0.57 signifies a transformation in how individuals navigate their surroundings. Currently ranking #10 of 157 countries, the nation moves toward the 2090s projection 0.42, permanently altering the texture of the human lifespan.
Compare these trajectories to find where your own story intersects with the lives of others on MYRIAD.
🇰🇷 Intentional homicides per 100,000 people per year. For South Korea, the story across three centuries is below — every value is a statistical fact about the lives actually lived there.
Decade by decade
| Decade | Homicide Rate (per 100,000) |
|---|---|
| 1800s estimate | 6.13 |
| 1810s estimate | 5.86 |
| 1820s estimate | 5.59 |
| 1830s estimate | 5.31 |
| 1840s estimate | 5.04 |
| 1850s estimate | 4.77 |
| 1860s estimate | 4.49 |
| 1870s estimate | 4.22 |
| 1880s estimate | 3.95 |
| 1890s estimate | 3.67 |
| 1900s estimate | 3.4 |
| 1910s estimate | 3.08 |
| 1920s estimate | 2.75 |
| 1930s estimate | 2.43 |
| 1940s estimate | 2.1 |
| 1950s | 1.78 |
| 1960s | 1.61 |
| 1970s | 1.44 |
| 1980s | 1.27 |
| 1990s | 1.05 |
| 2000s | 0.84 |
| 2010s | 0.72 |
| 2020s | 0.6 |
| 2030s projection | 0.57 |
| 2040s projection | 0.54 |
| 2050s projection | 0.51 |
| 2060s projection | 0.49 |
| 2070s projection | 0.46 |
| 2080s projection | 0.44 |
| 2090s projection | 0.42 |
| 2100s projection | 0.4 |
Keep exploring
- Life Expectancy at Birth in South Korea
- Income per Person (GDP per capita, PPP) in South Korea
- Child Mortality (under 5) in South Korea
- Years of Schooling in South Korea
- Children per Woman in South Korea
- Living in Cities in South Korea
- Full country profile: South Korea
- Where do YOU rank among everyone ever born? →
Questions people ask
What is the Homicide Rate in South Korea today?
0.6 per 100,000 in the 2020s (UNODC / World Bank).
How much did Homicide Rate in South Korea change since 1950?
From 1.78 to 0.6 per 100,000 — a change of about -66%.
Where does South Korea rank worldwide?
#10 of 157 countries covered by MYRIAD in the 2020s.