While the high-risk drinking rate among domestic men decreased across all ages, it increased among women in all age groups 30 and older. Korea's monthly binge drinking rate was the fifth highest among members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), indicating that the health burden from drinking remains significant.
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on the 27th that based on the 2025 Community Health Survey, an in-depth analysis of alcohol-related health behaviors found that 6 in 10 adults were "monthly drinkers" who drink at least once a month, 3 were "monthly binge drinkers" who binge drink at least once a month, and 1 was a "high-risk drinker" who repeatedly binges at least twice a week. The survey was conducted on about 230,000 adults aged 19 and older nationwide.
Notably, 59% of monthly drinkers engaged in binge drinking, and 35.6% of them fell into high-risk drinking, repeatedly binge drinking at least twice a week. The agency said drinking appears to progress from binge drinking to high-risk drinking.
By gender, men exceeded women on all drinking indicators. Among men in their 30s to 50s, 1 in 2 engaged in monthly binge drinking, and among men in their 40s to 50s, more than 1 in 5 engaged in high-risk drinking. Among women, the rates of monthly binge drinking and high-risk drinking were relatively high in their 20s to 40s.
However, looking at the trend over the past 10 years, changes for men and women diverged.
For men, drinking indicators improved across all ages. In particular, the high-risk drinking rate decreased in every age group, with those in their 20s down 41.6%, the largest drop. The monthly drinking rate also declined across all ages.
Men saw overall improvements in drinking indicators at all ages. The high-risk drinking rate decreased across all age groups, with those in their 20s down 41.6%, the largest drop.
By contrast, women showed a trend of increasing risky drinking. Over the past six years, the monthly binge drinking rate rose in all age groups 30 and older, and over the past 10 years, the high-risk drinking rate also increased in all age groups 30 and older except those in their 20s. The monthly drinking rate tended to rise among those in their 50s to 60s.
By socioeconomic characteristics, higher education levels and household income were associated with higher drinking rates. Monthly drinking and monthly binge drinking rates were highest among those with a college degree or higher, while the high-risk drinking rate was highest among high school graduates. By occupation, office workers had the highest monthly drinking and monthly binge drinking rates, while the high-risk drinking rate was highest among craft and unskilled laborers.
The factor most closely associated with high-risk drinking was smoking. Smokers were 2.6 times more likely to be high-risk drinkers than nonsmokers; those diagnosed with chronic diseases such as hypertension or diabetes were 1.3 times more likely; those with depressive symptoms were 1.2 times more likely; and those who felt high stress or were obese were each 1.1 times more likely.
Regional differences were also pronounced.
By province, the monthly drinking rate was highest in Ulsan (60.6%), North Chungcheong (60.5%), and Busan (59.0%), and lowest in North Jeolla (52.2%), Sejong (53.4%), and South Jeolla (54.5%). The monthly binge drinking rate was highest in Ulsan (39.2%) and Gangwon and North Chungcheong (38.7%), while the high-risk drinking rate was highest in Gangwon (15.7%), North Chungcheong (14.4%), and Ulsan (13.3%).
By city, county, and district, the monthly drinking rate was high in Nam District in Ulsan and Heungdeok District and Cheongwon District in Cheongju, North Chungcheong. Monthly binge drinking rates were among the highest in Ulleung County, North Gyeongsang; Donghae, Gangwon; Dong District, Ulsan; and Hongcheon County, Gangwon. High-risk drinking rates were highest in Sokcho, Gangwon; Ongjin County, Incheon; and Yanggu County, Gangwon.
The agency said that in regions with higher drinking rates, stress awareness, smoking rates, and obesity rates were higher, while walking practice rates were lower, indicating the need for customized alcohol prevention policies that reflect local characteristics.
In international comparisons as well, Korea's level of drinking was relatively high. According to Health at a Glance 2025 published by the OECD, Korea's monthly binge drinking rate exceeded the OECD average and was the fifth highest among 27 comparable member countries.
Lim Seung-gwan, commissioner of the agency, said, "Overall drinking behaviors are improving, but men in their 30s to 50s still have high rates of binge and high-risk drinking, and among women, risky drinking is increasing in those 30 and older," adding, "There is a need to promote region-specific alcohol prevention and management policies that reflect gender and age characteristics."