Growing public awareness that driving after drinking is unacceptable has led to a sharp decline in drunk‑driving rates, which have fallen to about one‑sixth of their level a decade ago.

According to the "2025 Alcohol Statistics Report" released Sunday by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Institute, the annual rate of drunk-driving experience among adults aged 19 and older stood at two-point-one percent in 2023.

The figure marks a steep drop from 12-point-six percent in 2013.

The adult drunk‑driving rate peaked at 17-point-one percent in 2011 but has steadily declined since, falling below ten percent for the first time in 2016 and reaching the low‑two‑percent range in 2023.

By gender in 2023, the rate was two-point-six percent for men and zero-point-nine percent for women.

By age group, adults 70 and older recorded the highest rate at four-point-one percent, followed by those 50 to 59 at three-point-seven percent, 60 to 69 at three-point-one percent, 40 to 49 at two-point-three percent, 30 to 39 at one-point-one percent, and 19 to 29 at zero-point-eight percent.