Foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans in South Korea
South Korea: Foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans was 2.86 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans in South Korea, 1987–2024
Source: OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2024 US$.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 2.86 billion constant 2024 US$ for foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans in 2024. That is the highest value across all 38 years on record.
That represents a change of up 43.8% on the previous year and up 162.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans in South Korea peaked at 2.86 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9.34 million constant 2024 US$, in 1987.
South Korea ranks 18th of 49 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans in South Korea, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 9.34 million constant 2024 US$ | — |
| 1988 | 9.49 million constant 2024 US$ | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 10.19 million constant 2024 US$ | +7.4% |
| 1990 | 11.03 million constant 2024 US$ | +8.3% |
| 1991 | 40.79 million constant 2024 US$ | +269.9% |
| 1992 | 50.85 million constant 2024 US$ | +24.7% |
| 1993 | 54.21 million constant 2024 US$ | +6.6% |
| 1994 | 60.04 million constant 2024 US$ | +10.8% |
| 1995 | 68.02 million constant 2024 US$ | +13.3% |
| 1996 | 87.73 million constant 2024 US$ | +29.0% |
| 1997 | 100.20 million constant 2024 US$ | +14.2% |
| 1998 | 119.34 million constant 2024 US$ | +19.1% |
| 1999 | 154.36 million constant 2024 US$ | +29.3% |
| 2000 | 100.80 million constant 2024 US$ | -34.7% |
| 2001 | 133.06 million constant 2024 US$ | +32.0% |
| 2002 | 139.18 million constant 2024 US$ | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 255.75 million constant 2024 US$ | +83.8% |
| 2004 | 319.68 million constant 2024 US$ | +25.0% |
| 2005 | 515.51 million constant 2024 US$ | +61.3% |
| 2006 | 357.00 million constant 2024 US$ | -30.7% |
| 2007 | 444.29 million constant 2024 US$ | +24.5% |
| 2008 | 604.45 million constant 2024 US$ | +36.0% |
| 2009 | 633.80 million constant 2024 US$ | +4.9% |
| 2010 | 808.95 million constant 2024 US$ | +27.6% |
| 2011 | 789.68 million constant 2024 US$ | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 961.68 million constant 2024 US$ | +21.8% |
| 2013 | 1.06 billion constant 2024 US$ | +9.9% |
| 2014 | 1.09 billion constant 2024 US$ | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 1.14 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.0% |
| 2016 | 1.23 billion constant 2024 US$ | +7.9% |
| 2017 | 1.21 billion constant 2024 US$ | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 1.27 billion constant 2024 US$ | +4.6% |
| 2019 | 1.41 billion constant 2024 US$ | +10.9% |
| 2020 | 1.36 billion constant 2024 US$ | -3.4% |
| 2021 | 1.60 billion constant 2024 US$ | +17.8% |
| 2022 | 1.88 billion constant 2024 US$ | +17.6% |
| 2023 | 1.99 billion constant 2024 US$ | +5.4% |
| 2024 | 2.86 billion constant 2024 US$ | +43.8% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 2.86 billion constant 2024 US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.86 billion constant 2024 US$, 1.0× the median. (5 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 2.86 billion constant 2024 US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.21 billion constant 2024 US$, 2.4× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +269.9% | 11.03 million constant 2024 US$ | 40.79 million constant 2024 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.67 million constant 2024 US$ | 9.34 million constant 2024 US$ | 10.19 million constant 2024 US$ | 3 |
| 1990s | 74.66 million constant 2024 US$ | 11.03 million constant 2024 US$ | 154.36 million constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 350.35 million constant 2024 US$ | 100.80 million constant 2024 US$ | 633.80 million constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.10 billion constant 2024 US$ | 789.68 million constant 2024 US$ | 1.41 billion constant 2024 US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.94 billion constant 2024 US$ | 1.36 billion constant 2024 US$ | 2.86 billion constant 2024 US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 15 Australia 3.31 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 16 Belgium 3.03 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 17 Denmark 2.95 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 19 Ireland 2.54 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 20 Poland 1.82 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
- 21 United Arab Emirates 1.79 billion constant 2024 US$ compare
More reference data data for South Korea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9638 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9281 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2074 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans in South Korea?
- Foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans in South Korea was 2.86 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2024, according to OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.86 billion constant 2024 US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.34 million constant 2024 US$ in 1987.
- How does South Korea rank for foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans?
- South Korea ranks 18th out of 49 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 162.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Foreign aid given as grants and concessional loans. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 38 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Official development assistance component that represents grants. Monetary aid is estimated as net disbursements. This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation.