The global life expectancy is found to have increased by about six years over the past two decades.
 
The Wall Street Journal on Thursday cited the study published in the medical journal The Lancet, showing that the global life expectancy for men rose five-point-eight and for women six-point-six years between 1990 and 2013.
 
According to the study, the life expectancy for South Korean men and women grew nine years to 81, while that of North Korea grew three years to 71.
 
The study found that in richer countries, longer lifespans are spurred by a large drop in heart disease-related deaths, while poorer countries saw a significant decline in children's deaths due to pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria.
 
Despite the improving signs, the number of deaths due to non-communicable diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes jumped 40 percent over the past 20 years. 

The study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington analyzed yearly deaths from 240 different causes in 188 countries from 1990 to 2013.