Military spending per military personnel in South Korea
South Korea: Military spending per military personnel was 101,370 in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
101,370
Change on year
down 3.1%
World rank
43rd
of 170 countries
All-time high
104,652
in 2021
All-time low
1,228
in 1955
Years of data
74
1949–2022
Military spending per military personnel in South Korea, 1949–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 101,370 for military spending per military personnel in 2022.
The figure is down 3.1% on the previous year and up 87.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending per military personnel in South Korea peaked at 104,652 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1,228, in 1955.
South Korea ranks 43rd of 170 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending per military personnel in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 1,784 | — |
| 1950 | 2,986 | +67.4% |
| 1951 | 1,671 | -44.0% |
| 1952 | 1,561 | -6.6% |
| 1953 | 1,386 | -11.2% |
| 1954 | 1,349 | -2.6% |
| 1955 | 1,228 | -9.0% |
| 1956 | 1,614 | +31.5% |
| 1957 | 1,482 | -8.2% |
| 1958 | 1,518 | +2.5% |
| 1959 | 1,600 | +5.4% |
| 1960 | 1,527 | -4.5% |
| 1961 | 1,716 | +12.4% |
| 1962 | 1,887 | +10.0% |
| 1963 | 1,508 | -20.1% |
| 1964 | 1,562 | +3.6% |
| 1965 | 1,298 | -16.9% |
| 1966 | 2,009 | +54.8% |
| 1967 | 2,130 | +6.0% |
| 1968 | 2,625 | +23.2% |
| 1969 | 3,149 | +19.9% |
| 1970 | 3,055 | -3.0% |
| 1971 | 3,760 | +23.1% |
| 1972 | 3,920 | +4.2% |
| 1973 | 4,078 | +4.0% |
| 1974 | 4,956 | +21.5% |
| 1975 | 6,024 | +21.6% |
| 1976 | 8,445 | +40.2% |
| 1977 | 10,609 | +25.6% |
| 1978 | 12,761 | +20.3% |
| 1979 | 14,048 | +10.1% |
| 1980 | 14,962 | +6.5% |
| 1981 | 17,223 | +15.1% |
| 1982 | 18,184 | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 17,191 | -5.5% |
| 1984 | 17,935 | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 19,252 | +7.3% |
| 1986 | 21,186 | +10.0% |
| 1987 | 22,588 | +6.6% |
| 1988 | 24,726 | +9.5% |
| 1989 | 26,270 | +6.2% |
| 1990 | 27,784 | +5.8% |
| 1991 | 24,165 | -13.0% |
| 1992 | 26,600 | +10.1% |
| 1993 | 27,548 | +3.6% |
| 1994 | 29,023 | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 32,217 | +11.0% |
| 1996 | 36,906 | +14.6% |
| 1997 | 38,376 | +4.0% |
| 1998 | 30,509 | -20.5% |
| 1999 | 30,598 | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 28,563 | -6.7% |
| 2001 | 28,393 | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 30,302 | +6.7% |
| 2003 | 32,884 | +8.5% |
| 2004 | 36,127 | +9.9% |
| 2005 | 39,995 | +10.7% |
| 2006 | 44,366 | +10.9% |
| 2007 | 47,187 | +6.4% |
| 2008 | 45,029 | -4.6% |
| 2009 | 41,850 | -7.1% |
| 2010 | 46,353 | +10.8% |
| 2011 | 50,239 | +8.4% |
| 2012 | 53,990 | +7.5% |
| 2013 | 55,641 | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 61,657 | +10.8% |
| 2015 | 59,317 | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 65,260 | +10.0% |
| 2017 | 74,034 | +13.4% |
| 2018 | 79,202 | +7.0% |
| 2019 | 84,896 | +7.2% |
| 2020 | 91,193 | +7.4% |
| 2021 | 104,652 | +14.8% |
| 2022 | 101,370 | -3.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 101,370 is below the median for high income countries, which is 182,526, 56% of the median. (54 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 101,370 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 28,962, 3.5× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending per military 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +67.4% | 1,784 | 2,986 |
| 1951 | -44.0% | 2,986 | 1,671 |
| 1966 | +54.8% | 1,298 | 2,009 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 1,784 | 1,784 | 1,784 | 1 |
| 1950s | 1,640 | 1,228 | 2,986 | 10 |
| 1960s | 1,941 | 1,298 | 3,149 | 10 |
| 1970s | 7,166 | 3,055 | 14,048 | 10 |
| 1980s | 19,952 | 14,962 | 26,270 | 10 |
| 1990s | 30,373 | 24,165 | 38,376 | 10 |
| 2000s | 37,470 | 28,393 | 47,187 | 10 |
| 2010s | 63,059 | 46,353 | 84,896 | 10 |
| 2020s | 99,072 | 91,193 | 104,652 | 3 |
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 military personnel in South Korea?
- Military spending per military personnel in South Korea was 101,370 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending per military personnel recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 104,652 in 2021.
- What is the lowest military spending per military personnel recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,228 in 1955.
- How does South Korea rank for military spending per military personnel?
- South Korea ranks 43rd out of 170 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military spending per military personnel rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 87.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending per military personnel. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).