Military spending, per capita in South Korea
South Korea: Military spending, per capita was 945.12 constant 2024 US$ per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Military spending, per capita in South Korea, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2024 US$ per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending, per capita in South Korea is 945.12 constant 2024 US$ per person, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 32.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per capita in South Korea peaked at 945.12 constant 2024 US$ per person in 2025 and was at its lowest, 26.07 constant 2024 US$ per person, in 1964.
That places South Korea 25th out of 161 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending, per capita in South Korea, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 30.84 constant 2024 US$ per person | — |
| 1961 | 31.22 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 35.2 constant 2024 US$ per person | +12.8% |
| 1963 | 28.3 constant 2024 US$ per person | -19.6% |
| 1964 | 26.07 constant 2024 US$ per person | -7.9% |
| 1965 | 26.7 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 47.02 constant 2024 US$ per person | +76.1% |
| 1967 | 51.07 constant 2024 US$ per person | +8.6% |
| 1968 | 58.79 constant 2024 US$ per person | +15.1% |
| 1969 | 66.27 constant 2024 US$ per person | +12.7% |
| 1970 | 67.03 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 77.24 constant 2024 US$ per person | +15.2% |
| 1972 | 88.68 constant 2024 US$ per person | +14.8% |
| 1973 | 87.64 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.2% |
| 1974 | 110.19 constant 2024 US$ per person | +25.7% |
| 1975 | 125.06 constant 2024 US$ per person | +13.5% |
| 1976 | 176.92 constant 2024 US$ per person | +41.5% |
| 1977 | 207.04 constant 2024 US$ per person | +17.0% |
| 1978 | 253.99 constant 2024 US$ per person | +22.7% |
| 1979 | 234.96 constant 2024 US$ per person | -7.5% |
| 1980 | 253.41 constant 2024 US$ per person | +7.9% |
| 1981 | 258.5 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 265.35 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.6% |
| 1983 | 272.17 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 275.63 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 295.06 constant 2024 US$ per person | +7.0% |
| 1986 | 314.1 constant 2024 US$ per person | +6.5% |
| 1987 | 319.49 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.7% |
| 1988 | 336.11 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.2% |
| 1989 | 353.93 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.3% |
| 1990 | 363.29 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 369.52 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 388.19 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.1% |
| 1993 | 401.98 constant 2024 US$ per person | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 409.47 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 443.14 constant 2024 US$ per person | +8.2% |
| 1996 | 445.11 constant 2024 US$ per person | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 451.81 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 432.89 constant 2024 US$ per person | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 418.3 constant 2024 US$ per person | -3.4% |
| 2000 | 440.34 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.3% |
| 2001 | 449.47 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 459.2 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 472.35 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 491.15 constant 2024 US$ per person | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 530.07 constant 2024 US$ per person | +7.9% |
| 2006 | 546.3 constant 2024 US$ per person | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 568.16 constant 2024 US$ per person | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 600.75 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 635.24 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.7% |
| 2010 | 637.34 constant 2024 US$ per person | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 641.12 constant 2024 US$ per person | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 654 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 670.75 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 692.77 constant 2024 US$ per person | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 715.9 constant 2024 US$ per person | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 730.93 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 742.29 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 776.56 constant 2024 US$ per person | +4.6% |
| 2019 | 836.2 constant 2024 US$ per person | +7.7% |
| 2020 | 878.99 constant 2024 US$ per person | +5.1% |
| 2021 | 918.46 constant 2024 US$ per person | +4.5% |
| 2022 | 900.87 constant 2024 US$ per person | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 905.8 constant 2024 US$ per person | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 919.88 constant 2024 US$ per person | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 945.12 constant 2024 US$ per person | +2.7% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 945.12 constant 2024 US$ per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 883.8 constant 2024 US$ per person, 1.1× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 945.12 constant 2024 US$ per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 87.22 constant 2024 US$ per person, 10.8× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending, per capita 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | +76.1% | 26.7 constant 2024 US$ per person | 47.02 constant 2024 US$ per person |
| 1976 | +41.5% | 125.06 constant 2024 US$ per person | 176.92 constant 2024 US$ per person |
| 1974 | +25.7% | 87.64 constant 2024 US$ per person | 110.19 constant 2024 US$ per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 40.15 constant 2024 US$ per person | 26.07 constant 2024 US$ per person | 66.27 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 142.87 constant 2024 US$ per person | 67.03 constant 2024 US$ per person | 253.99 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 294.37 constant 2024 US$ per person | 253.41 constant 2024 US$ per person | 353.93 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 412.37 constant 2024 US$ per person | 363.29 constant 2024 US$ per person | 451.81 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 519.3 constant 2024 US$ per person | 440.34 constant 2024 US$ per person | 635.24 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 709.78 constant 2024 US$ per person | 637.34 constant 2024 US$ per person | 836.2 constant 2024 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 911.52 constant 2024 US$ per person | 878.99 constant 2024 US$ per person | 945.12 constant 2024 US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 22 Oman 1,080 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 23 Estonia 1,053 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 24 Lithuania 946.69 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 26 France 938.81 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 27 Bahrain 914.63 constant 2024 US$ per person compare
- 28 Canada 901.03 constant 2024 US$ per person 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 military spending, per capita in South Korea?
- Military spending, per capita in South Korea was 945.12 constant 2024 US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 945.12 constant 2024 US$ per person in 2025.
- What is the lowest military spending, per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.07 constant 2024 US$ per person in 1964.
- How does South Korea rank for military spending, per capita?
- South Korea ranks 25th out of 161 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending, per capita rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military spending, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Military spending divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military spending ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Military spending Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Military spending divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.