Mobile cellular subscriptions in South Korea

South Korea: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 89.22 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
89.22 million
Change on year
up 6.4%
World rank
21st
of 213 countries
All-time high
89.22 million
in 2024
All-time low
0
in 1960
Years of data
51
1960–2024

Mobile cellular subscriptions in South Korea, 1960–2024

020.0M40.0M60.0M80.0M196019922024

Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Analysis

The most recent figure for mobile cellular subscriptions in South Korea is 89.22 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.

That represents a change of up 6.4% on the previous year and up 55.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in South Korea peaked at 89.22 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.

That places South Korea 21st out of 213 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 0 0 0 2
1970s 0 0 0 6
1980s 9,677 0 39,718 8
1990s 5.11 million 80,005 23.44 million 10
2000s 37.48 million 26.82 million 47.94 million 10
2010s 58.80 million 50.77 million 68.89 million 10
2020s 78.70 million 70.51 million 89.22 million 5

Countries ranked near South Korea

  1. 18 Germany 109.20 million compare
  2. 19 Turkey 94.32 million compare
  3. 20 Colombia 92.07 million compare
  4. 22 Tanzania 86.77 million compare
  5. 23 Ethiopia 85.95 million compare
  6. 24 United Kingdom 84.10 million compare

See the full ranking of 260 places →

More infrastructure data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is mobile cellular subscriptions in South Korea?
Mobile cellular subscriptions in South Korea was 89.22 million in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in South Korea?
The highest recorded value was 89.22 million in 2024.
What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in South Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
How does South Korea rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
South Korea ranks 21st out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in South Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 55.7%. 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), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator
Mobile cellular subscriptions
Source
World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
260 places, 13,039 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Mobile cellular telephone subscriptions are subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the PSTN using cellular technology. The indicator includes (and is split into) the number of postpaid subscriptions, and the number of active prepaid accounts (i.e. that have been used during the last three months). The indicator applies to all mobile cellular subscriptions that offer voice communications. It excludes subscriptions via data cards or USB modems, subscriptions to public mobile data services, private trunked mobile radio, telepoint, radio paging and telemetry services.