East Asia & Pacific · High income
South Korea: the economy in numbers
Per person: $36,227, or $63,125 at purchasing power parity. Population: 51.7 million (2025).
$1.87T+1.0%real GDP growth, 2025
GDP in 2025, current US dollars: #13 of 204 economies. IMF forecast for 2026: +3.3%.
GDP per capita
$36,227
2025 · #45 of 204
GDP per capita, PPP
$63,125
2025 · #35 of 197
Inflation
2.1%
2025 · IMF forecast 2026: 2.7%
Government debt
49.6%
2024 · % of GDP, general government
Population
51.7M
2025 · #29 of 217
Unemployment
2.7%
2025 · ILO estimate
Stock market capitalization
147.2%
2025 · % of GDP · $2.76T
Life expectancy
83.6 years
2024
GDP
Adjusted for US inflation, in 2025 dollars: $43.3 billion in 1960, $1.87 trillion in 2025.
GDP per capita
In 2025 dollars: $1,731 per person in 1960, $36,227 in 2025.
GDP per capitaGDP per capita, PPP (international $)
Real GDP growth
Average over 2016–2025: 2.3% a year. Years of falling GDP since 1961: 3 of 65.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Inflation
Consumer prices rose by 84.6% from 2000 to 2025. Highest annual inflation: 29.5% in 1964.
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Government debt, % of GDP
Highest since 2012: 50.6% of GDP in 2023. IMF forecast for 2031: 49.7%.
General government (IMF)Central government only (World Bank)
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Stock market capitalization, % of GDP
In 2025 listed domestic companies were worth $2.76 trillion, or 147.2% of GDP.
Population
1960: 25 million · 2025: 51.7 million.
Unemployment rate
1991: 2.4% · 2025: 2.7%.
Life expectancy at birth
1960: 53.8 years · 2024: 83.6 years.
Exports of goods and services
1960: 2.6% · 2025: 45.8%.
Data by year
Show the year-by-year table
| Year | GDP | GDP per capita | Per capita, PPP | Real growth | Inflation | Gov. debt, % GDP | Population | Unemployment | Stock market, % GDP | Life expectancy | Exports, % GDP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2031 | 1.9%f | 2.0%f | 49.7%f | ||||||||
| 2030 | 1.9%f | 2.0%f | 49.2%f | ||||||||
| 2029 | 2.1%f | 2.0%f | 48.2%f | ||||||||
| 2028 | 2.3%f | 2.0%f | 47.0%f | ||||||||
| 2027 | 2.8%f | 2.3%f | 46.2%f | ||||||||
| 2026 | 3.3%f | 2.7%f | 47.3%f | ||||||||
| 2025 | $1.87T | $36,227 | $63,125 | 1.0% | 2.1% | 52.4%e | 51.7M | 2.7% | 147.2% | 45.8% | |
| 2024 | $1.88T | $36,239 | $61,051 | 2.0% | 2.3% | 49.6% | 51.8M | 2.8% | 83.0% | 83.6 | 44.4% |
| 2023 | $1.84T | $35,674 | $57,430 | 1.6% | 3.6% | 50.6% | 51.7M | 2.7% | 106.7% | 83.4 | 41.3% |
| 2022 | $1.8T | $34,822 | $55,509 | 2.7% | 5.1% | 49.7% | 51.7M | 2.9% | 91.4% | 82.7 | 45.3% |
| 2021 | $1.94T | $37,518 | $51,718 | 4.6% | 2.5% | 47.9% | 51.8M | 3.6% | 114.2% | 83.5 | 39.3% |
| 2020 | $1.74T | $33,646 | $47,881 | −0.7% | 0.5% | 45.9% | 51.8M | 3.9% | 124.8% | 83.4 | 34.6% |
| 2019 | $1.75T | $33,827 | $46,511 | 2.3% | 0.4% | 39.7% | 51.8M | 3.7% | 84.8% | 83.2 | 37.0% |
| 2018 | $1.82T | $35,364 | $45,511 | 3.2% | 1.5% | 37.9% | 51.6M | 3.8% | 77.5% | 82.6 | 39.5% |
| 2017 | $1.71T | $33,297 | $43,156 | 3.4% | 1.9% | 38.0% | 51.4M | 3.7% | 103.6% | 82.6 | 38.8% |
| 2016 | $1.58T | $30,832 | $41,673 | 3.2% | 1.0% | 39.1% | 51.2M | 3.6% | 79.4% | 82.3 | 38.1% |
| 2015 | $1.54T | $30,172 | $39,794 | 2.9% | 0.7% | 38.8% | 51M | 3.5% | 80.0% | 82.0 | 41.0% |
| 2014 | $1.56T | $30,667 | $37,032 | 3.2% | 1.3% | 37.9% | 50.7M | 3.1% | 77.9% | 81.7 | 45.8% |
| 2013 | $1.43T | $28,449 | $35,844 | 3.3% | 1.3% | 36.0% | 50.4M | 3.1% | 86.1% | 81.3 | 49.2% |
| 2012 | $1.34T | $26,601 | $35,062 | 2.5% | 2.2% | 33.5% | 50.2M | 2.8% | 88.3% | 80.8 | 52.0% |
| 2011 | $1.31T | $26,175 | $33,944 | 3.7% | 4.0% | 49.9M | 3.0% | 76.2% | 80.6 | 51.3% | |
| 2010 | $1.19T | $24,071 | $33,120 | 7.0% | 2.9% | 49.6M | 3.3% | 91.5% | 80.1 | 45.3% | |
| 2009 | $983B | $19,937 | $30,740 | 0.8% | 2.8% | 49.3M | 3.4% | 84.9% | 80.0 | 43.5% | |
| 2008 | $1.09T | $22,252 | $31,211 | 3.0% | 4.7% | 49.1M | 3.0% | 43.1% | 79.5 | 45.8% | |
| 2007 | $1.22T | $25,078 | $30,255 | 5.8% | 2.5% | 48.7M | 3.0% | 91.9% | 79.1 | 36.0% | |
| 2006 | $1.1T | $22,610 | $27,972 | 5.2% | 2.2% | 48.4M | 3.3% | 76.2% | 78.7 | 34.4% | |
| 2005 | $972B | $20,167 | $26,179 | 4.4% | 2.8% | 48.2M | 3.5% | 73.9% | 78.2 | 34.1% | |
| 2004 | $823B | $17,122 | $24,658 | 5.2% | 3.6% | 48.1M | 3.4% | 52.0% | 77.7 | 35.6% | |
| 2003 | $729B | $15,212 | $22,920 | 3.1% | 3.5% | 47.9M | 3.3% | 45.2% | 77.2 | 30.4% | |
| 2002 | $650B | $13,643 | $22,173 | 7.7% | 2.8% | 47.6M | 3.0% | 38.6% | 76.8 | 28.9% | |
| 2001 | $568B | $11,981 | $20,442 | 4.7% | 4.1% | 47.4M | 3.7% | 41.2% | 76.4 | 30.9% | |
| 2000 | $597B | $12,710 | $19,237 | 9.2% | 2.3% | 47M | 4.1% | 28.7% | 75.9 | 32.9% | |
| 1999 | $516B | $11,063 | $17,421 | 11.6% | 0.8% | 46.6M | 6.3% | 59.4% | 75.4 | 31.5% | |
| 1998 | $397B | $8,583 | $15,500 | −4.9% | 7.5% | 46.3M | 7.0% | 28.8% | 75.0 | 38.2% | |
| 1997 | $589B | $12,822 | $16,241 | 6.3% | 4.4% | 46M | 2.6% | 7.1% | 74.6 | 27.5% | |
| 1996 | $631B | $13,865 | $15,164 | 8.0% | 4.9% | 45.5M | 2.0% | 22.0% | 74.2 | 24.2% | |
| 1995 | $586B | $13,002 | $13,921 | 9.7% | 4.5% | 45.1M | 2.1% | 31.0% | 73.7 | 25.1% | |
| 1994 | $479B | $10,734 | $12,551 | 9.4% | 6.3% | 44.6M | 2.5% | 40.0% | 73.4 | 23.5% | |
| 1993 | $406B | $9,180 | $11,349 | 7.0% | 4.8% | 44.2M | 2.9% | 34.4% | 73.0 | 22.9% | |
| 1992 | $367B | $8,387 | $10,468 | 6.4% | 6.2% | 43.7M | 2.5% | 29.3% | 72.5 | 23.3% | |
| 1991 | $341B | $7,873 | $9,724 | 10.9% | 9.3% | 43.3M | 2.4% | 28.3% | 72.0 | 23.0% | |
| 1990 | $292B | $6,813 | $8,567 | 10.0% | 8.6% | 42.9M | 37.8% | 71.6 | 24.2% | ||
| 1989 | $254B | $5,989 | 7.2% | 5.7% | 42.4M | 55.3% | 71.0 | 26.5% | |||
| 1988 | $205B | $4,889 | 12.1% | 7.1% | 42M | 45.9% | 70.5 | 31.4% | |||
| 1987 | $152B | $3,658 | 12.9% | 3.0% | 41.6M | 21.7% | 70.0 | 33.7% | |||
| 1986 | $120B | $2,911 | 11.5% | 2.7% | 41.2M | 11.6% | 69.4 | 31.0% | |||
| 1985 | $104B | $2,543 | 7.9% | 2.5% | 40.8M | 7.1% | 68.8 | 26.1% | |||
| 1984 | $99.7B | $2,469 | 10.6% | 2.3% | 40.4M | 6.2% | 68.2 | 28.1% | |||
| 1983 | $89.6B | $2,246 | 13.5% | 3.4% | 39.9M | 4.9% | 67.5 | 27.2% | |||
| 1982 | $79.9B | $2,032 | 8.5% | 7.2% | 39.3M | 5.5% | 67.1 | 26.7% | |||
| 1981 | $74.3B | $1,918 | 7.4% | 21.4% | 38.7M | 5.7% | 66.5 | 29.2% | |||
| 1980 | $66.5B | $1,746 | −1.5% | 28.7% | 38.1M | 5.8% | 66.0 | 27.7% | |||
| 1979 | $68.1B | $1,814 | 8.7% | 18.3% | 37.5M | 7.9% | 65.5 | 23.1% | |||
| 1978 | $52.8B | $1,429 | 11.1% | 14.5% | 37M | 65.2 | 24.5% | ||||
| 1977 | $39.1B | $1,073 | 12.4% | 10.1% | 36.4M | 64.9 | 25.5% | ||||
| 1976 | $30.4B | $847 | 13.3% | 15.3% | 35.8M | 64.5 | 25.0% | ||||
| 1975 | $22.1B | $627 | 7.9% | 25.2% | 35.3M | 64.2 | 22.2% | ||||
| 1974 | $19.9B | $572 | 9.6% | 24.3% | 34.7M | 63.8 | 21.8% | ||||
| 1973 | $14.1B | $412 | 15.0% | 3.2% | 34.1M | 63.4 | 23.5% | ||||
| 1972 | $11B | $328 | 7.3% | 11.7% | 33.5M | 63.0 | 16.3% | ||||
| 1971 | $10B | $304 | 10.7% | 13.5% | 32.9M | 62.6 | 12.5% | ||||
| 1970 | $9.09B | $282 | 10.2% | 16.0% | 32.2M | 62.2 | 11.3% | ||||
| 1969 | $7.74B | $245 | 14.6% | 12.4% | 31.5M | 61.5 | 10.5% | ||||
| 1968 | $6.17B | $200 | 13.2% | 10.8% | 30.8M | 60.9 | 10.1% | ||||
| 1967 | $4.9B | $162 | 9.2% | 10.9% | 30.1M | 60.9 | 9.0% | ||||
| 1966 | $3.96B | $134 | 12.0% | 11.3% | 29.4M | 55.5 | 8.4% | ||||
| 1965 | $3.14B | $109 | 7.3% | 13.5% | 28.7M | 55.9 | 7.1% | ||||
| 1964 | $3.48B | $124 | 9.4% | 29.5% | 28M | 55.4 | 4.9% | ||||
| 1963 | $4.01B | $147 | 9.0% | 20.7% | 27.3M | 55.0 | 3.9% | ||||
| 1962 | $2.83B | $107 | 3.9% | 6.6% | 26.5M | 55.1 | 3.9% | ||||
| 1961 | $2.43B | $94 | 6.9% | 8.2% | 25.8M | 54.5 | 4.0% | ||||
| 1960 | $3.97B | $159 | 8.0% | 25M | 53.8 | 2.6% |
e: IMF estimate; f: IMF forecast.
Nearby economies in East Asia & Pacific
Nearest by distance between capitals, with GDP per capita.
American Samoa · Australia · Brunei · Cambodia · China · Fiji · French Polynesia · Guam · Hong Kong · Indonesia · Japan · Kiribati · Laos · Macao · Malaysia · Marshall Islands · Micronesia · Mongolia · Myanmar · Nauru · New Caledonia · New Zealand · North Korea · Northern Mariana Islands · Palau · Papua New Guinea · Philippines · Samoa · Singapore · Solomon Islands · South Korea · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Tonga · Tuvalu · Vanuatu · Vietnam
Rankings
GDP by country · GDP per capita · Real GDP growth · Inflation by country · Government debt to GDP · Stock market to GDP · Population by country · Unemployment by country
Data and methods
- GDP: gross domestic product in current US dollars, converted from the local currency at market exchange rates (World Bank); not adjusted for inflation.
- Purchasing power parity (PPP): GDP per person in international dollars, which buy the same basket of goods and services in every country. It compares living standards across countries in the same year; it is not adjusted for inflation over time.
- In 2025 dollars: the charts can remove US inflation (US consumer price index, annual average) so that dollar amounts from different years compare in today's money. Exchange rate swings still show.
- Growth and inflation: World Bank data (calendar years). Years the World Bank does not cover yet, and the estimates and forecasts, come from the IMF World Economic Outlook (October 2026): its forecasts start in 2026, and the years after a country's last actual year are IMF estimates.
- Government debt: gross debt of the general government (central, state and local government and social security funds) as a percentage of GDP, IMF. The World Bank's central government debt is narrower and covers fewer countries.
- Stock market capitalization: the end-of-year value of domestic companies listed on the country's exchanges (World Federation of Exchanges via the World Bank; before 2016, Standard & Poor's), as a percentage of GDP: the “Buffett indicator”. Investment funds are excluded, and so are companies listed only abroad; companies from elsewhere that list on an exchange count for its country (Hong Kong lists many mainland Chinese companies).
- Unemployment: ILO modeled estimates (share of the labor force); comparable across countries, but they may differ from national figures.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)
Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)