South Korea has ranked 20th out of 193 countries in terms of health, education and standard of living in a survey conducted by the United Nations Development Program(UNDP).

According to the UNDP’s 2025 Human Development Report, released Tuesday, South Korea’s Human Development Index score stood at zero-point-937 as of 2023, putting the country in 20th place, down one notch from the previous year. 

The country’s score improved from the previous year’s zero-point-928, even though its ranking declined. 

The Human Development Index assesses the overall level of human development based on life expectancy at birth, expected years of schooling and gross national income per capita. 

Iceland topped the list, followed by Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, Germany and Sweden. 

South Sudan ranked at the very bottom.