how tall were south koreans in 1990s

South Koreans in the 1990s were generally around the mid-to-high 160s cm for men and around 155–160 cm for women , depending on age group and data source. A good rough summary is that adult men were about 170 cm-ish and adult women about 160 cm-ish by the end of the 1990s, with younger cohorts already a bit taller than older ones.

What the data suggests

The height increase was part of a long upward trend in South Korea through the late 20th century. One study using national survey data found that across birth cohorts in the second half of the 1900s, average height rose from about 169 cm to 176 cm for men and 157 cm to 162 cm for women.

Why it changed

The main drivers were better childhood nutrition, improved health care, and overall economic development. That means the 1990s were a transition period: many adults were still shaped by earlier decades, while children and teens were already benefiting from newer living conditions.

Simple takeaway

If you want a one-line answer: South Koreans in the 1990s were roughly around 170 cm tall for men and 160 cm for women on average, with variation by age and dataset.

A more precise breakdown by exact year or age group would need a specific national survey table from that period.