Overview

• Only 26.6 percent of South Korean adults met national MVPA guidelines in 2024, up from a pandemic low of 19.7 percent in 2021.
• South Korea ranks 191st out of 195 countries in inactivity at 58.1 percent compared with a 31.3 percent global average.
• Men (30.2 percent) and adults in their 20s (32.3 percent) were the most active groups, while women (19.5 percent) and those aged 70 and older (13.8 percent) recorded the lowest rates.
• Rural residents outpaced metropolitan counterparts with a 28.2 percent MVPA rate, and Sejong led regional gains by jumping 11.6 percentage points since 2021.
• Adults without hypertension or diabetes were 1.1 times more likely to meet activity guidelines, and those without depressive symptoms were 1.2 times more likely to be active.