Military spending per armed forces personnel in South Korea
South Korea: Military spending per armed forces personnel was 80,076 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Military spending per armed forces personnel in South Korea, 1985–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2020, military spending per armed forces personnel in South Korea stood at 80,076. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is up 13.4% on the previous year and up 67.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per armed forces personnel in South Korea peaked at 80,076 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 20,134, in 1985.
South Korea ranks 38th of 160 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Military spending per armed forces personnel in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 20,134 | — |
| 1989 | 23,221 | +15.3% |
| 1990 | 23,960 | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 21,332 | -11.0% |
| 1992 | 22,644 | +6.1% |
| 1993 | 23,687 | +4.6% |
| 1994 | 24,372 | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 31,174 | +27.9% |
| 1996 | 30,335 | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 30,691 | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 29,619 | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 28,824 | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 30,108 | +4.5% |
| 2001 | 30,969 | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 31,685 | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 32,762 | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 33,931 | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 36,856 | +8.6% |
| 2006 | 38,239 | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 39,971 | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 42,586 | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 47,494 | +11.5% |
| 2010 | 47,889 | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 48,545 | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 49,781 | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 51,289 | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 55,582 | +8.4% |
| 2015 | 57,559 | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 59,048 | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 60,134 | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 65,886 | +9.6% |
| 2019 | 70,613 | +7.2% |
| 2020 | 80,076 | +13.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 80,076 is below the median for high income countries, which is 131,220, 61% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 80,076 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 23,831, 3.4× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending per armed forces personnel 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +27.9% | 24,372 | 31,174 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 21,677 | 20,134 | 23,221 | 2 |
| 1990s | 26,664 | 21,332 | 31,174 | 10 |
| 2000s | 36,460 | 30,108 | 47,494 | 10 |
| 2010s | 56,633 | 47,889 | 70,613 | 10 |
| 2020s | 80,076 | 80,076 | 80,076 | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More reference data data for South Korea
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Burning - Crop 31.73 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Manure Management 880.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 12,007 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.13 (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 (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Enteric 6,875 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9638 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure Management 2,038 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending per armed forces personnel in South Korea?
- Military spending per armed forces personnel in South Korea was 80,076 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 80,076 in 2020.
- What is the lowest military spending per armed forces personnel recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 20,134 in 1985.
- How does South Korea rank for military spending per armed forces personnel?
- South Korea ranks 38th out of 160 countries with data for 2020.
- Is military spending per armed forces personnel rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 67.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per armed forces personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).