Health in Seoul, South Korea: official figures
The Ministry of Health and Welfare estimates 163,213 people aged 65 or over in Seoul had dementia in 2025, or 8.9% of the 1,842,720 people in that age group (close to the national figure of 9.1%). The figure is an estimate that applies national age-and-sex rates from the 2023 dementia survey to the local population. Seoul ranks 12th lowest estimated dementia rate of 36 South Korean cities covered on this site.
Is dementia increasing in Seoul?
The estimated number of people aged 65 or over with dementia in Seoul rose by 4.9% between 2024 and 2025 (155,545 to 163,213), while the number of people aged 65 or over rose by 4.7% (Ministry of Health and Welfare estimates).
Source: Ministry of Health and Welfare (Republic of Korea) · saved copyHow many people are treated for diabetes in Seoul?
Health insurance paid for diabetes treatment of 866,872 patients at clinics and hospitals located in Seoul in 2025, which is 93.4 for every 1,000 registered residents (South Korea: 86.8). Claims came to 264.4 billion won, or about 305,000 won per patient. The count follows the location of the clinic, not where the patient lives. Seoul ranks 12th most diabetes patients treated per resident of 36 South Korean cities covered on this site.
Source: Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) · saved copyHow many hospitals and clinics are there in Seoul?
Seoul had 10,477 clinics (uiwon), 59 general hospitals (including top-tier teaching hospitals) and 235 other hospitals registered with the health insurance review service at the end of 2025: 11.3 clinics per 10,000 registered residents (South Korea: 7.3). Seoul ranks the most clinics per resident of 36 South Korean cities covered on this site.
Source: Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) · saved copyHow many pharmacies and dentists are there in Seoul?
Seoul had 5,801 pharmacies, 4,851 dental clinics and 3,677 Korean-medicine clinics registered at the end of 2025, or 6.3 pharmacies, 5.2 dental clinics and 4.0 Korean-medicine clinics per 10,000 registered residents (South Korea: 5.0, 3.8 and 2.9). Seoul ranks 4th most pharmacies per resident of 36 South Korean cities covered on this site.
Source: Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) · saved copyHow many nursing hospitals are there in Seoul?
Seoul had 103 long-term care hospitals (yoyang byeongwon) registered at the end of 2025, or 1.1 per 100,000 registered residents (South Korea: 2.6); these are hospitals that mainly look after older and chronically ill patients. Seoul ranks 5th fewest care hospitals per resident of 36 South Korean cities covered on this site.
Source: Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) · saved copyHow many road accidents happen in Seoul each year?
Police recorded 34,309 road accidents with casualties in Seoul in 2025, with 212 people dead within 30 days and 45,446 injured (Korea Road Traffic Authority; only accidents with human injury are counted). South Korea recorded 193,889 such accidents and 2,549 deaths. Seoul ranks 18th lowest accident rate per resident of 36 South Korean cities covered on this site.
Source: Korea Road Traffic Authority · saved copyHow many people die in traffic accidents in Seoul?
Seoul had 2.3 road deaths per 100,000 registered residents in 2025, below the national figure of 5.0 (Korea Road Traffic Authority deaths within 30 days; the rate uses residents, so visitors and through traffic raise it). Seoul ranks the lowest road death rate of 36 South Korean cities covered on this site.
Source: Korea Road Traffic Authority · saved copyHow Seoul compares with other cities in South Korea
Estimated dementia rate among people aged 65 or over (2025)
Seoul ranks 25 of 36, highest first. Ministry of Health and Welfare estimate: national age-and-sex rates applied to each city.
| Rank | City | Estimated dementia rate among people aged 65 or over |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Icheon | 9.0% |
| 23 | Cheonan | 8.9% |
| 24 | Tongyeong | 8.9% |
| 25 | Seoul | 8.9% |
| 26 | Daejeon | 8.8% |
| 27 | Sejong | 8.8% |
| 28 | Incheon | 8.7% |
Diabetes patients treated per 1,000 residents (2025)
Seoul ranks 12 of 36, highest first. Patients treated at clinics and hospitals located in the city, per 1,000 registered residents; the clinic location, not the patient home, decides the city.
| Rank | City | Diabetes patients treated per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Daejeon | 96.2 |
| 10 | Jinju | 96.1 |
| 11 | Tongyeong | 96.0 |
| 12 | Seoul | 93.4 |
| 13 | Gongju | 92.5 |
| 14 | Busan | 92.2 |
| 15 | Sacheon | 92.1 |
Clinics per 10,000 residents (2025)
Seoul ranks 1 of 36, highest first. Clinics registered with HIRA at the end of 2025 over registered population at 30 September 2026.
| Rank | City | Clinics per 10,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seoul | 11.3 |
| 2 | Daegu | 8.9 |
| 3 | Jeonju | 8.7 |
| 4 | Busan | 8.4 |
| 5 | Daejeon | 8.0 |
| 6 | Jeju | 7.9 |
| 7 | Gwangju | 7.7 |
Hospitals per 100,000 residents (2025)
Seoul ranks 21 of 36, highest first. Top-tier teaching hospitals, general hospitals and other hospitals (excluding long-term care and psychiatric hospitals).
| Rank | City | Hospitals per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Ulsan | 3.9 |
| 19 | Sacheon | 3.7 |
| 20 | Gunsan | 3.5 |
| 21 | Seoul | 3.2 |
| 22 | Iksan | 3.0 |
| 23 | Dangjin | 2.9 |
| 24 | Nonsan | 2.8 |
Long-term care hospitals per 100,000 residents (2025)
Seoul ranks 32 of 36, highest first.
| Rank | City | Long-term care hospitals per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Dangjin | 1.7 |
| 30 | Asan | 1.6 |
| 31 | Jinju | 1.5 |
| 32 | Seoul | 1.1 |
| 33 | Geoje | 0.9 |
| 34 | Sejong | 0.8 |
| 35 | Seosan | 0.6 |
Road deaths per 100,000 residents (2025)
Seoul ranks 36 of 36, highest first. Deaths within 30 days of police-recorded accidents; visitors and through traffic count against the city where the accident happened.
| Rank | City | Road deaths per 100,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Geoje | 3.9 |
| 31 | Busan | 3.4 |
| 32 | Gwangju | 3.3 |
| 33 | Daegu | 3.2 |
| 34 | Incheon | 2.7 |
| 35 | Sejong | 2.6 |
| 36 | Seoul | 2.3 |
More on Seoul: overview · poverty and living standards · all cities in South Korea
Sources
- Ministry of Health and Welfare (Republic of Korea): Dementia status by city, county and district, 2016-2025 (open file on the Public Data Portal), read 30 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 85455041c38b…)
- Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA): Diabetes treatment statistics by city, county and district, 2025 (open file on the Public Data Portal), read 30 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 547bd6a4555a…)
- Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA): Health-care institutions registered with the insurance service, as of 31 December 2025 (open file on the Public Data Portal), read 30 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bb10d7930007…)
- Korea Road Traffic Authority: Road traffic accident statistics by city, county and district, 2025 (open file on the Public Data Portal), read 30 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 077c48b46c23…)
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