Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in South Korea
South Korea: Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat was 1.11 million animals in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
1.11 million animals
Change on year
up 5.1%
World rank
52nd
of 198 countries
All-time high
1.28 million animals
in 1998
All-time low
136,272 animals
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in South Korea, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in animals.
Analysis
The most recent figure for yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in South Korea is 1.11 million animals, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 5.1% on the previous year and up 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in South Korea peaked at 1.28 million animals in 1998 and was at its lowest, 136,272 animals, in 1961.
That places South Korea 52nd out of 198 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in South Korea, year by year
| Year | animals | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 136,272 animals | — |
| 1962 | 172,124 animals | +26.3% |
| 1963 | 216,993 animals | +26.1% |
| 1964 | 328,780 animals | +51.5% |
| 1965 | 280,252 animals | -14.8% |
| 1966 | 260,282 animals | -7.1% |
| 1967 | 253,560 animals | -2.6% |
| 1968 | 211,401 animals | -16.6% |
| 1969 | 217,167 animals | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 283,081 animals | +30.4% |
| 1971 | 272,320 animals | -3.8% |
| 1972 | 219,309 animals | -19.5% |
| 1973 | 258,426 animals | +17.8% |
| 1974 | 324,929 animals | +25.7% |
| 1975 | 470,239 animals | +44.7% |
| 1976 | 404,125 animals | -14.1% |
| 1977 | 329,243 animals | -18.5% |
| 1978 | 450,627 animals | +36.9% |
| 1979 | 451,650 animals | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 521,706 animals | +15.5% |
| 1981 | 476,600 animals | -8.6% |
| 1982 | 410,902 animals | -13.8% |
| 1983 | 372,800 animals | -9.3% |
| 1984 | 521,485 animals | +39.9% |
| 1985 | 750,000 animals | +43.8% |
| 1986 | 1.09 million animals | +44.9% |
| 1987 | 1.01 million animals | -7.5% |
| 1988 | 854,024 animals | -15.0% |
| 1989 | 568,966 animals | -33.4% |
| 1990 | 554,733 animals | -2.5% |
| 1991 | 545,174 animals | -1.7% |
| 1992 | 537,824 animals | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 687,311 animals | +27.8% |
| 1994 | 778,281 animals | +13.2% |
| 1995 | 780,237 animals | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 850,397 animals | +9.0% |
| 1997 | 1.13 million animals | +32.3% |
| 1998 | 1.28 million animals | +14.0% |
| 1999 | 1.09 million animals | -14.6% |
| 2000 | 997,331 animals | -8.9% |
| 2001 | 730,175 animals | -26.8% |
| 2002 | 633,643 animals | -13.2% |
| 2003 | 584,253 animals | -7.8% |
| 2004 | 576,204 animals | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 612,472 animals | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 630,458 animals | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 683,856 animals | +8.5% |
| 2008 | 769,000 animals | +12.5% |
| 2009 | 865,000 animals | +12.5% |
| 2010 | 752,370 animals | -13.0% |
| 2011 | 853,000 animals | +13.4% |
| 2012 | 970,000 animals | +13.7% |
| 2013 | 1.07 million animals | +10.4% |
| 2014 | 1.04 million animals | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 1.01 million animals | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 861,000 animals | -14.4% |
| 2017 | 873,000 animals | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 866,000 animals | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 887,000 animals | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 903,000 animals | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 934,000 animals | +3.4% |
| 2022 | 1.01 million animals | +8.7% |
| 2023 | 1.06 million animals | +4.5% |
| 2024 | 1.11 million animals | +5.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1.11 million animals is above the median for high income countries, which is 161,025 animals, 6.9× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1.11 million animals is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 117,197 animals, 9.5× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 230,759 animals | 136,272 animals | 328,780 animals | 9 |
| 1970s | 346,395 animals | 219,309 animals | 470,239 animals | 10 |
| 1980s | 656,858 animals | 372,800 animals | 1.09 million animals | 10 |
| 1990s | 823,645 animals | 537,824 animals | 1.28 million animals | 10 |
| 2000s | 708,239 animals | 576,204 animals | 997,331 animals | 10 |
| 2010s | 918,137 animals | 752,370 animals | 1.07 million animals | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.01 million animals | 903,000 animals | 1.11 million animals | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More agriculture & rural data for South Korea
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 0.2516 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0146 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 530.46 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1591 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1883 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.9% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in South Korea?
- Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat in South Korea was 1.11 million animals in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1.28 million animals in 1998.
- What is the lowest yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 136,272 animals in 1961.
- How does South Korea rank for yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat?
- South Korea ranks 52nd out of 198 countries with data for 2024.
- Is yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Yearly number of animals slaughtered for meat. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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