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?
- 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.