Half of Men in Their 30s to 50s Binge Drink Monthly... Increase in High-Risk Drinking Among Women

Six Out of Ten Adults Drink Monthly
Binge Drinking Rate Fifth Highest Among 27 OECD Countries
Smokers 2.6 Times More Likely to Engage in High-Risk Drinking

One in two men in their 30s to 50s in South Korea binge drinks at least once a month. While overall drinking rates among men have declined, binge and high-risk drinking have increased among women aged 30 and above.

On July 27, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency announced its analysis of alcohol-related health behaviors based on the '2025 Community Health Survey' in light of the summer holiday season.

Trend of Alcohol Consumption Rates from 2016 to 2025. Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency

Last year, the monthly drinking rate among adults was recorded at 57.1%. This means that about 6 out of 10 adults consumed alcohol at least once a month in the past year. The monthly binge drinking rate, indicating those who drink a large amount of alcohol at one sitting, was 33.7%, and the high-risk drinking rate—indicating those who repeatedly binge drink to the extent of risking physical harm or alcohol dependence—was 12.0%.

All three indicators were lower compared to the period before the COVID-19 pandemic but have shown an upward trend since reaching their lowest point in 2021. Among those who drank at least once a month, 59.0% engaged in binge drinking, while 35.6% of binge drinkers fell into the high-risk category, drinking at least twice a week.

By gender, men scored higher than women across all indicators. Notably, one in two men in their 30s to 50s binge drank monthly, and more than one in five men in their 40s to 50s were classified as high-risk drinkers. Among women, those in their 20s to 40s showed relatively higher rates of binge and high-risk drinking.

Looking at the trends over the past 10 years, monthly drinking and high-risk drinking rates among men have fallen across all age groups. The decline was particularly pronounced among men in their 20s, with the high-risk drinking rate dropping by 41.6%—the largest decrease among all groups.

In contrast, among women, the high-risk drinking rate has increased across all age groups over 30. Monthly drinking rates also rose among women in their 50s to 60s, and monthly binge drinking showed an increasing trend among those over 30. The high-risk drinking rate among women in their 20s decreased by 18.5%.

By socioeconomic characteristics, both educational attainment and monthly household income were associated with higher drinking rates. Monthly drinking and binge drinking rates were highest among those with a university 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 binge drinking rates, while skilled and manual laborers had the highest high-risk drinking rate.

Smokers were found to be 2.6 times more likely to be high-risk drinkers than non-smokers. Those with a diagnosis of hypertension or diabetes had a 1.3 times higher risk, and those experiencing depressive symptoms had a 1.2 times higher risk. People who reported stress and those with obesity were also each 1.1 times more likely to fall into the high-risk category.

The level of binge drinking in South Korea remains high compared to major countries. According to the OECD's 'Health at a Glance 2025,' South Korea’s monthly binge drinking rate exceeded the OECD average and ranked fifth among 27 comparable member countries.

Im Seungkwan, head of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, stated, "Men in their 30s to 50s still have high rates of monthly binge and high-risk drinking, and among women, both rates are increasing among those aged 30 and older. Since binge and high-risk drinking raise the risk of various diseases and injuries as well as alcohol dependence, it is important to abstain from drinking."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.