Cancer, heart disease, pneumonia among major causes of death in 2025

In 2025, cancer, heart disease, and pneumonia emerged as the leading causes of death among South Koreans, according to data released Tuesday by Statistics Korea. Suicide, however, maintained its position as the top cause of death for individuals aged 40 and younger. The country experienced a total of 362,968 deaths in 2025, marking a 1.2% increase from the previous year.

This translates to 712.6 deaths per 100,000 South Koreans, a 1.4% rise from 2024. Cancer accounted for the largest share of these fatalities, representing 24.9% of all deaths, followed closely by heart disease at 9.4% and pneumonia at 8.5%. Together, these three conditions accounted for more than 42% of all deaths reported. Suicide, on the other hand, claimed the lives of 14,144 people, a 4.9% decrease from 2024, but still remained the fifth-largest cause of death, affecting 4.1% of the total.

For those aged 10 to 49, suicide was the primary cause of death, while it was the second most common cause for individuals in their 50s.