Military spending, per unit of GDP in South Korea
South Korea: Military spending, per unit of GDP was 0.0261 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.0261 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP
Change on year
up 2.8%
World rank
40th
of 160 countries
All-time high
0.3498 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 1966
All-time low
0.022 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP
in 2018
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Military spending, per unit of GDP in South Korea, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military spending, per unit of gdp in South Korea is 0.0261 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 2.8% on the previous year and up 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per unit of gdp in South Korea peaked at 0.3498 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1966 and was at its lowest, 0.022 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, in 2018.
That places South Korea 40th out of 160 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 unit of GDP in South Korea, year by year
| Year | constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.1942 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1961 | 0.3314 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +70.7% |
| 1962 | 0.3301 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -0.4% |
| 1963 | 0.1925 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -41.7% |
| 1964 | 0.2098 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +9.0% |
| 1965 | 0.244 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +16.3% |
| 1966 | 0.3498 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +43.4% |
| 1967 | 0.3144 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -10.1% |
| 1968 | 0.294 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.5% |
| 1969 | 0.2699 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -8.2% |
| 1970 | 0.2379 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -11.9% |
| 1971 | 0.2539 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.7% |
| 1972 | 0.2703 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +6.5% |
| 1973 | 0.2125 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -21.4% |
| 1974 | 0.1925 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -9.4% |
| 1975 | 0.1994 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.6% |
| 1976 | 0.2088 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +4.7% |
| 1977 | 0.193 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.6% |
| 1978 | 0.1778 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.9% |
| 1979 | 0.1295 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -27.1% |
| 1980 | 0.1452 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +12.1% |
| 1981 | 0.1347 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.2% |
| 1982 | 0.1306 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -3.1% |
| 1983 | 0.1212 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.2% |
| 1984 | 0.1117 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.9% |
| 1985 | 0.116 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +3.9% |
| 1986 | 0.1079 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.0% |
| 1987 | 0.0873 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -19.1% |
| 1988 | 0.0688 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -21.3% |
| 1989 | 0.0591 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -14.0% |
| 1990 | 0.0533 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -9.8% |
| 1991 | 0.0469 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -12.0% |
| 1992 | 0.0463 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 0.0438 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.4% |
| 1994 | 0.0381 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -12.9% |
| 1995 | 0.0341 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -10.7% |
| 1996 | 0.0321 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -5.8% |
| 1997 | 0.0352 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +9.8% |
| 1998 | 0.0504 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +43.1% |
| 1999 | 0.0378 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -25.0% |
| 2000 | 0.0346 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -8.4% |
| 2001 | 0.0375 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +8.3% |
| 2002 | 0.0337 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -10.3% |
| 2003 | 0.0311 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.7% |
| 2004 | 0.0287 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.6% |
| 2005 | 0.0263 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -8.4% |
| 2006 | 0.0242 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -8.1% |
| 2007 | 0.0227 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.2% |
| 2008 | 0.027 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +19.2% |
| 2009 | 0.0319 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +18.0% |
| 2010 | 0.0265 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -16.9% |
| 2011 | 0.0245 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -7.5% |
| 2012 | 0.0246 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 0.0236 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 0.0226 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 0.0237 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.0% |
| 2016 | 0.0237 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 0.0223 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.0% |
| 2018 | 0.022 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 0.0247 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +12.6% |
| 2020 | 0.0261 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.7% |
| 2021 | 0.0245 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -6.3% |
| 2022 | 0.0259 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +5.7% |
| 2023 | 0.0254 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 0.0254 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 0.0261 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | +2.8% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.0261 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0197 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP, 1.3× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.0261 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.0134 constant 2024 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 | +70.7% | 0.1942 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.3314 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.273 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1925 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.3498 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2075 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1295 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.2703 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1082 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0591 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.1452 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0418 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0321 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0533 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0298 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0227 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0375 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0238 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.022 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0265 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0256 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0245 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 0.0261 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 37 Chad 0.0279 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 38 Greece 0.0278 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 39 Mauritania 0.027 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 41 Namibia 0.0256 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 42 Serbia 0.0256 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP compare
- 43 Iraq 0.0252 constant 2024 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 0.0261 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per unit of gdp recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 0.3498 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 1966.
- What is the lowest military spending, per unit of gdp recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.022 constant 2024 US$ per US$ of GDP in 2018.
- How does South Korea rank for military spending, per unit of gdp?
- South Korea ranks 40th out of 160 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending, per unit of gdp rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.0%. 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 unit of GDP. 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 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 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2026) – 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.