South Korea vs Turkey: Armed forces personnel
South Korea
569,000
in 2020
Turkey
512,000
in 2020
South Korea rank
11th
Turkey rank
13th
Armed forces personnel over time
- South Korea
- Turkey
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 569,000 against 512,000 in Turkey, a difference of 57,000.
That makes South Korea's figure about 1.1 times Turkey's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 33 shared years of data; in 1985 it was Turkey ahead.
South Korea ranks 11th and Turkey ranks 13th of 173 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, South Korea averaged higher in 3 and Turkey in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Korea | Turkey | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 622,500 | 705,000 | 82,500 | Turkey |
| 1990s | 698,850 | 765,480 | 66,630 | Turkey |
| 2000s | 688,050 | 650,520 | 37,530 | South Korea |
| 2010s | 639,400 | 562,420 | 76,980 | South Korea |
| 2020s | 569,000 | 512,000 | 57,000 | South Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, South Korea or Turkey?
- South Korea, at 569,000 against 512,000 in Turkey as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between South Korea and Turkey?
- 57,000, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and Turkey?
- 33 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do South Korea and Turkey rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- South Korea ranks 11th and Turkey ranks 13th of 173 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- The Military Balance - International Institute for Strategic Studies, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Armed forces personnel. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if their training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces.