Indicators that reflect the safety of Korea have worsened recently. Deaths from homicide, fires, and industrial accidents have increased, and the crime victimization rate has also risen.
According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics (MODS) on Mar. 5 in its National Quality of Life 2025, the number of deaths caused by others' acts (homicide) in 2024 was 0.62 per 100,000 people, up 0.01 from the previous year (0.61). This is the first increase in the mortality rate in five years since 2019.
The number of fire-related deaths was 308 in 2024, up 25 from the previous year (283). Since hitting the lowest level of 253 in 2015, the number of fire deaths has fluctuated. The number of fires was 37,614, down from the previous year (38,659). Property damage from fires totaled 783.9 billion won and has been on the rise recently, which the agency said was "because buildings are getting larger and more complex."
The number of deaths from industrial accidents was tallied at 2,098 in 2024, up 82 from 2023 (2,016). However, the industrial accident fatality rate, defined as deaths per 10,000 workers, was 0.98, the same as a year earlier. Of those who died in industrial accidents, 52.8% were 60 or older.
The crime victimization rate was 6,439 cases per 100,000 people in 2022, a sharp increase from 2020 (3,806). On this, however, the agency said, "In the 2022 survey, unlike in 2020, harassment and stalking were separated, and illegal filming and phishing were added, among other changes to detailed victimization categories," adding, "Still, it is true that the rate has been on the rise since 2018." The victimization rate for property crimes is overwhelmingly higher than for violent crimes.
Overall perception of safety, which measures the share of people who answered that society is "very safe" or "relatively safe," was 28.9% in 2024, down 4.4 percentage points from two years earlier (33.3%). The agency said, "The deadly crowd crush in the nightlife district of Itaewon or the Osong underpass disaster that occurred after the 2022 survey point may have had an impact." By 17 provinces and metropolitan cities, Sejong had the highest share of people who felt safe (38.7%), and North Chungcheong had the lowest (22.5%).
By contrast, children's safety conditions have improved. The number of deaths from safety accidents per 100,000 children ages 14 and under fell from 2.3 in 2023 to 2.1 in 2024, and the experience rate of child abuse victimization per 100,000 children decreased from 364.1 in 2023 to 356.8 in 2024.