Heavy drinking rises among South Korean women 30 and older, reversing decade-long trend

High-risk drinking — which raises the likelihood of cardiovascular disease, liver disease and cancer — fell across all age groups among men over the past decade, but rose among women aged 30 and older in every age bracket, according to new data. Experts said the increase among women poses risks not only to individual health but to society at large, and called for tailored prevention measures based on gender and age.

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency analyzed data from last year's Community Health Survey and found that 57.1 percent of adults drank alcohol at least once a month — roughly six in 10. The national drinking rate has been climbing since hitting a record low in 2021.

The monthly binge-drinking rate — defined as consuming at least seven shots of soju (or five cans of beer) in a single sitting for men, or five shots of soju (or three cans of beer) for women, at least once a month — stood at 33.7 percent.

The high-risk drinking rate, meaning the same quantities consumed at least twice a week, was 12.0 percent. High-risk drinking is associated with a range of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, liver disease, cancer and mental illness.

Age-based trends revealed a sharp divergence between men and women.

Among men, high-risk drinking declined across all age groups over the past decade. The drop was particularly steep among those in their 20s, down 41.6 percent, and those in their 30s, down 36.1 percent.

Among women, however, only those in their 20s saw a decline — of 18.5 percent. Women in their 30s recorded a 19.1 percent increase, those in their 40s a 31.0 percent increase and those in their 50s a 13.2 percent increase, meaning high-risk drinking rose in every age group from the 30s onward.

The KDCA also found close links between high-risk drinking and smoking, chronic illness and depressive symptoms.

Smokers were 2.6 times more likely to be high-risk drinkers than non-smokers. People diagnosed with chronic conditions such as hypertension or diabetes were 1.3 times more likely, and those with depressive symptoms were 1.2 times more likely.

By region, Ulsan recorded the highest monthly drinking rate at 60.6 percent, while North Jeolla Province had the lowest at 52.2 percent. Ulsan also led the country in monthly binge drinking at 39.0 percent.

Gangwon Province had the highest high-risk drinking rate at 15.7 percent, followed by North Chungcheong Province at 14.4 percent and Ulsan at 13.3 percent. Compared with 2016, however, high-risk drinking fell in every city and province. Sejong recorded the largest drop at 5.7 percentage points, followed by Jeju at 5.1 percentage points and Incheon at 4.1 percentage points.

Regions with higher drinking rates also tended to report higher stress levels. The perceived stress rate in high-drinking areas was 23.5 percent, compared with 20.1 percent in lower-drinking areas. Chronic disease diagnosis rates were also markedly higher in areas with elevated high-risk drinking — 31.6 percent versus 21.7 percent.

South Korea's binge-drinking rate remains high by international standards. According to the OECD's "Health at a Glance 2025," South Korea ranked fifth highest in monthly binge drinking among 27 comparable countries as of 2023.

Jegal Jeong, a professor at Ewha Womans University, said that as alcohol consumption increases, so does the burden of disease. "Not drinking even a single glass is the safest choice," she said. "The harm to the drinker is one problem, but alcohol also causes indirect harm to others — through drunk driving, accidents and birth defects from drinking during pregnancy — so it should be seen as a social issue."

KDCA Commissioner Lim Seung-gwan said local governments and relevant agencies should use the findings to develop region-specific alcohol prevention and management policies that reflect drinking patterns by gender and age.

Experts note that women have a lower proportion of body water than men and lower alcohol-metabolizing enzyme activity, meaning the same amount of alcohol produces a higher blood alcohol concentration. Repeated binge drinking, they warn, raises the risk not only of liver disease but also of cardiovascular disease, certain cancers and deteriorating mental health. They advise office workers and middle-aged people who drink frequently to monitor how often and how much they drink, and to build habits of moderation.