According to the data released by the WHO Western Pacific Region in December 2006, the average height rankings for 17-year-old adolescents revealed a surprising shift that challenged South Korea’s long-standing leadership in regional physical development:
| Country/Region | Average Height (17-year-old males) |
| Japan | 173.4 cm |
| South Korea | 173.0 cm |
| Taiwan | 171.2 cm |