South Korea vs Vietnam: Armed forces personnel
South Korea
569,000
in 2020
Vietnam
522,000
in 2020
South Korea rank
11th
Vietnam rank
12th
Armed forces personnel over time
- South Korea
- Vietnam
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 569,000 against 522,000 in Vietnam, a difference of 47,000.
That makes South Korea's figure about 1.1 times Vietnam's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 32 shared years of data; in 1985 it was Vietnam ahead.
South Korea ranks 11th and Vietnam ranks 12th of 173 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, South Korea averaged higher in 3 and Vietnam in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Korea | Vietnam | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 622,500 | 1.14 million | 516,000 | Vietnam |
| 1990s | 698,850 | 735,300 | 36,450 | Vietnam |
| 2000s | 687,167 | 507,889 | 179,278 | South Korea |
| 2010s | 639,400 | 522,000 | 117,400 | South Korea |
| 2020s | 569,000 | 522,000 | 47,000 | South Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher armed forces personnel, South Korea or Vietnam?
- South Korea, at 569,000 against 522,000 in Vietnam as of 2020.
- What is the difference in armed forces personnel between South Korea and Vietnam?
- 47,000, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and Vietnam?
- 32 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2020.
- How do South Korea and Vietnam rank globally for armed forces personnel?
- South Korea ranks 11th and Vietnam ranks 12th of 173 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Armed forces personnel. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.