Human Development & Quality of Life in South Korea
HDI 0.937 · UNDP rank 20 · latest published data
With HDI 0.937 for 2023, South Korea sits at rank 20 in UNDP's latest table and falls in the very high human development group. More revealing for this profile, the gender-development lens adds GDI 0.959 in UNDP group 2, which is kept separate from the headline HDI. At the same time, gender inequality is low on the GII scale at 0.038, with UNDP rank 12.
What sits inside South Korea's HDI
For South Korea, health contributes through life expectancy of 84.3; education through 16.6 expected and 12.7 mean years of schooling; and income through GNI per capita of $49,726 in 2021 PPP dollars. Those are the published inputs behind the 2023 HDI.
Inequality changes the headline
The inequality-adjusted measure for South Korea applies a distribution penalty to the same three HDI dimensions. It should therefore be read alongside HDI, not as a separate life-satisfaction score.
Gender and planetary-pressure adjustments
Within the UNDP framework, South Korea has additional UNDP measures of GDI 0.959, GII 0.038, PHDI 0.745. The indicators add context without becoming a single composite DigifyWorld rating.
A separate quality-of-life signal
A comparable OECD life-satisfaction observation is available for South Korea: 6.50/10 for 2022. Life satisfaction is shown only as a separate subjective well-being measure.
What South Korea's numbers say together
Taken alongside HDI, South Korea's profile includes IHDI 0.857 with a 8.5% loss; PHDI 0.745 after a 20.5% adjustment; GDI 0.959; life satisfaction 6.50/10 (2022). They complement one another, but none is treated as a substitute for another.
South Korea's HDI is 0.937 for 2023, placing it at UNDP rank 20. The index summarizes health, education and income rather than every dimension of day-to-day well-being.
The IHDI is 0.857, and UNDP reports an overall loss of 8.5% relative to the headline index.
The GDI value is 0.959 in group 2; it should be read alongside, not merged into, HDI.
The dated life-satisfaction observation used for South Korea is 6.50/10 for 2022. Life satisfaction remains distinct from the health, education and income dimensions used by HDI.
Frequently asked questions
What is South Korea's HDI?
For South Korea, the 2025 UNDP report publishes a 2023 HDI value of 0.937 and rank 20.
How does inequality affect South Korea's HDI?
South Korea's Inequality-adjusted HDI is 0.857. The published overall loss is 8.5% relative to HDI.
What is the life satisfaction score shown for South Korea?
In the OECD current well-being series used for this profile, South Korea records 6.50/10 in 2022. A life-satisfaction result is not an input to HDI and remains a separate quality-of-life signal.
Is HDI the same as quality of life?
No. The Human Development Index summarizes health, education and income outcomes. Subjective well-being is kept outside the HDI calculation.
Sources & methodology
Sources for the development indicators and definitions shown above.
View sources used for this page
Primary source for 2023 HDI and its components, plus IHDI, GDI, GII and PHDI where reported.
Report edition underlying the 2023 human-development indices and ranking.
Source for the dated 0-10 life-satisfaction observation. This separate measure is not part of HDI.
Data note: Reference years are shown with each indicator; unavailable observations remain unfilled.