Military spending sipri in South Korea
South Korea: Military spending sipri was 48.85 billion in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
48.85 billion
Change on year
up 2.6%
World rank
11th
of 162 countries
All-time high
48.85 billion
in 2025
All-time low
185.39 million
in 1953
Years of data
73
1953–2025
Military spending sipri in South Korea, 1953–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, military spending sipri in South Korea stood at 48.85 billion. That is the highest value across all 73 years on record.
The figure is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 33.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending sipri in South Korea peaked at 48.85 billion in 2025 and was at its lowest, 185.39 million, in 1953.
South Korea ranks 11th of 162 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending sipri in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 185.39 million | — |
| 1954 | 465.05 million | +150.9% |
| 1955 | 515.49 million | +10.8% |
| 1956 | 738.86 million | +43.3% |
| 1957 | 635.12 million | -14.0% |
| 1958 | 749.75 million | +18.0% |
| 1959 | 795.48 million | +6.1% |
| 1960 | 771.44 million | -3.0% |
| 1961 | 804.33 million | +4.3% |
| 1962 | 933.19 million | +16.0% |
| 1963 | 771.43 million | -17.3% |
| 1964 | 729.55 million | -5.4% |
| 1965 | 766.49 million | +5.1% |
| 1966 | 1.38 billion | +80.6% |
| 1967 | 1.54 billion | +11.2% |
| 1968 | 1.81 billion | +17.8% |
| 1969 | 2.09 billion | +15.3% |
| 1970 | 2.16 billion | +3.4% |
| 1971 | 2.54 billion | +17.5% |
| 1972 | 2.97 billion | +17.0% |
| 1973 | 2.99 billion | +0.6% |
| 1974 | 3.82 billion | +27.9% |
| 1975 | 4.41 billion | +15.4% |
| 1976 | 6.34 billion | +43.7% |
| 1977 | 7.54 billion | +18.9% |
| 1978 | 9.39 billion | +24.6% |
| 1979 | 8.82 billion | -6.1% |
| 1980 | 9.66 billion | +9.6% |
| 1981 | 10.01 billion | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 10.44 billion | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 10.86 billion | +4.1% |
| 1984 | 11.14 billion | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 12.04 billion | +8.1% |
| 1986 | 12.95 billion | +7.5% |
| 1987 | 13.30 billion | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 14.13 billion | +6.2% |
| 1989 | 15.02 billion | +6.3% |
| 1990 | 15.57 billion | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 16.00 billion | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 16.98 billion | +6.1% |
| 1993 | 17.77 billion | +4.6% |
| 1994 | 18.28 billion | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 19.98 billion | +9.3% |
| 1996 | 20.26 billion | +1.4% |
| 1997 | 20.76 billion | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 20.04 billion | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 19.50 billion | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 20.70 billion | +6.2% |
| 2001 | 21.29 billion | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 21.88 billion | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 22.62 billion | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 23.62 billion | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 25.54 billion | +8.2% |
| 2006 | 26.46 billion | +3.6% |
| 2007 | 27.66 billion | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 29.47 billion | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 31.32 billion | +6.3% |
| 2010 | 31.58 billion | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 32.02 billion | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 32.83 billion | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 33.83 billion | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 35.16 billion | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 36.52 billion | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 37.44 billion | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 38.13 billion | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 40.06 billion | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 43.29 billion | +8.1% |
| 2020 | 45.56 billion | +5.3% |
| 2021 | 47.55 billion | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 46.55 billion | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 46.84 billion | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 47.60 billion | +1.6% |
| 2025 | 48.85 billion | +2.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 48.85 billion is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.82 billion, 7.2× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 48.85 billion is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.65 billion, 10.5× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending sipri 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | +150.9% | 185.39 million | 465.05 million |
| 1966 | +80.6% | 766.49 million | 1.38 billion |
| 1976 | +43.7% | 4.41 billion | 6.34 billion |
| 1956 | +43.3% | 515.49 million | 738.86 million |
| 1974 | +27.9% | 2.99 billion | 3.82 billion |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 583.59 million | 185.39 million | 795.48 million | 7 |
| 1960s | 1.16 billion | 729.55 million | 2.09 billion | 10 |
| 1970s | 5.10 billion | 2.16 billion | 9.39 billion | 10 |
| 1980s | 11.95 billion | 9.66 billion | 15.02 billion | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.51 billion | 15.57 billion | 20.76 billion | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.06 billion | 20.70 billion | 31.32 billion | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.08 billion | 31.58 billion | 43.29 billion | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.16 billion | 45.56 billion | 48.85 billion | 6 |
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 sipri in South Korea?
- Military spending sipri in South Korea was 48.85 billion in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending sipri recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 48.85 billion in 2025.
- What is the lowest military spending sipri recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 185.39 million in 1953.
- How does South Korea rank for military spending sipri?
- South Korea ranks 11th out of 162 countries with data for 2025.
- Is military spending sipri rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.8%. 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 sipri. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 73 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).