kostat

KOSTAT, officially Statistics Korea, is the national statistics agency of South Korea. It is responsible for the collection, analysis, production, and dissemination of official statistics to inform government policy, business planning, and public understanding. The agency oversees major censuses and national surveys and coordinates statistical activities across central and local government.

Key responsibilities include conducting the Population and Housing Census, the Economic Census, and various social and labor surveys; maintaining statistical standards; and ensuring data quality and privacy. It develops methodological guidance, classifications, and metadata to support consistent data production and cross-country comparability. Statistics Korea also works to improve statistical literacy and accessibility for users.

Data and publications are centralized through its online portal, KOSIS (Korean Statistical Information Service), which provides access to statistics, indicators, datasets, and interactive tools for researchers, policymakers, and the public. The agency releases regular reports such as statistical yearbooks and program-specific publications, and it supports data requests from government, business, and academia.

Historically, Statistics Korea traces its origins to the National Statistical Office and was reorganized and renamed in 2009. Since then, it has engaged in international statistical cooperation, contributing to global data standards and harmonization with organizations such as the United Nations, OECD, and other statistical institutes.