Military spending, per unit of GDP in South Korea
South Korea: Military spending, per unit of GDP was 0.0309 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
0.0309 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
34th
of 170 countries
All-time high
0.403 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 1961
All-time low
0.0252 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 2011
Years of data
64
1960–2023
Military spending, per unit of GDP in South Korea, 1960–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
In 2023, military spending, per unit of gdp in South Korea stood at 0.0309 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP.
That represents a change of down 1.2% on the previous year and up 21.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per unit of gdp in South Korea peaked at 0.403 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1961 and was at its lowest, 0.0252 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP, in 2011.
That places South Korea 34th out of 170 countries with data for 2023, 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 unit of GDP in South Korea, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.2499 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1961 | 0.403 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +61.3% |
| 1962 | 0.3805 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.6% |
| 1963 | 0.2359 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -38.0% |
| 1964 | 0.2695 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +14.3% |
| 1965 | 0.2495 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.4% |
| 1966 | 0.2905 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +16.4% |
| 1967 | 0.2664 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -8.3% |
| 1968 | 0.2639 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 0.2521 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.5% |
| 1970 | 0.2169 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.0% |
| 1971 | 0.2398 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +10.5% |
| 1972 | 0.2265 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.5% |
| 1973 | 0.1838 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -18.9% |
| 1974 | 0.1582 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -13.9% |
| 1975 | 0.1715 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +8.4% |
| 1976 | 0.1696 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.1% |
| 1977 | 0.1629 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.9% |
| 1978 | 0.1449 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -11.0% |
| 1979 | 0.1316 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -9.2% |
| 1980 | 0.1349 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.5% |
| 1981 | 0.1405 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.2% |
| 1982 | 0.1367 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.7% |
| 1983 | 0.1155 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -15.5% |
| 1984 | 0.1082 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.3% |
| 1985 | 0.1113 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 0.1067 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.2% |
| 1987 | 0.0896 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -16.0% |
| 1988 | 0.0753 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -15.9% |
| 1989 | 0.0669 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -11.3% |
| 1990 | 0.0618 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.5% |
| 1991 | 0.0532 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.0% |
| 1992 | 0.0544 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.3% |
| 1993 | 0.0509 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.3% |
| 1994 | 0.0454 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -10.8% |
| 1995 | 0.0412 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -9.3% |
| 1996 | 0.0392 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.9% |
| 1997 | 0.0436 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +11.4% |
| 1998 | 0.0514 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +17.9% |
| 1999 | 0.0395 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -23.3% |
| 2000 | 0.0327 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -17.2% |
| 2001 | 0.0342 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 0.032 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.4% |
| 2003 | 0.031 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 0.0301 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 0.0283 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.1% |
| 2006 | 0.0279 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 0.0266 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.7% |
| 2008 | 0.0283 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.7% |
| 2009 | 0.0292 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 0.0267 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -8.7% |
| 2011 | 0.0252 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.7% |
| 2012 | 0.0265 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.2% |
| 2013 | 0.0254 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 0.026 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 0.0252 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 0.026 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 0.0273 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.1% |
| 2018 | 0.0271 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 0.0303 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +11.7% |
| 2020 | 0.0313 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 0.0299 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.5% |
| 2022 | 0.0313 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 0.0309 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.0309 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0189 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP, 1.6× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.0309 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.016 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP, 1.9× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending, per unit of GDP 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | +61.3% | 0.2499 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.403 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.2861 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2359 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.403 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1806 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1316 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2398 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1086 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0669 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1405 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0481 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0392 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0618 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.03 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0266 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0342 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0266 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0252 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0303 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0308 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0299 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0313 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 31 Botswana 0.0329 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 32 Poland 0.0328 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 33 Togo 0.0323 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 35 Singapore 0.0301 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 36 Tunisia 0.0299 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 37 Uzbekistan 0.0291 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP 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 unit of gdp in South Korea?
- Military spending, per unit of gdp in South Korea was 0.0309 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per unit of gdp recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 0.403 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1961.
- What is the lowest military spending, per unit of gdp recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0252 constant 2022 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2011.
- How does South Korea rank for military spending, per unit of gdp?
- South Korea ranks 34th out of 170 countries with data for 2023.
- Is military spending, per unit of gdp rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.7%. 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 unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Military spending divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military spending ÷ GDP (current US$)
Computed from
- Military spending Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- GDP Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
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 GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.