The country's average life expectancy is an estimated 83.5 years, higher than the average of member states of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development of 81.1. Shown is a scene from the My Pace Hangang Triathlon Festival on May 30 at Ttukseom Hangang River Park in Seoul's Gwangjin-gu District. (Lee Jeongwoo)

By Margareth Theresia

The country's life expectancy is an estimated 83.5 years, higher than the average of 81.1 of member nations of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Korea also leads the OECD in the number of outpatients visits and hospital beds, attesting to the nation's high accessibility to medical care.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare on July 30 said this in its report on OECD health data that compared statistical data from the OECD with the country's situation.

As of 2023, life expectancy in Korea was 83.5 years, 2.4 higher than the OECD average. A leading reason for this was the country's low avoidable mortality rate of 151 deaths per 100,000 people, far lower than the OECD average of 228.6.

 
The rate refers to the number of avoidable deaths through preventable disease or early treatment. A lower figure indicates higher quality of medical care.

The infant mortality rate was 2.5 out of 1,000 live births, lower than the OECD's 4.1.

The country also led the OECD in the number of per capita outpatient visits with 18, almost three times the OECD average of 6.5.

The number of hospital beds was also tops among OECD member states with 12.6 for every 1,000 people, nearly three times the OECD's 4.2. For patients with acute diseases, the figure of 7.4 beds per 1,000 people was more than double the OECD's 3.4.

Korea's prevention of infectious disease also stood out. As of 2023, 84.8% of senior citizens aged 65 or over had received flu vaccines, far higher the OECD's 51.8% to lead all member nations.

margareth@korea.kr