Palma ratio (before tax) in South Korea
South Korea: Palma ratio (before tax) was 3.36 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Palma ratio (before tax) in South Korea, 1982–2022
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 3.36 for palma ratio (before tax) in 2022.
The figure is down 1.8% on the previous year and up 20.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, palma ratio (before tax) in South Korea peaked at 3.42 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.48, in 1996.
South Korea ranks 77th of 113 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.13 | 2.13 | 2.13 | 1 |
| 1990s | 1.62 | 1.48 | 1.76 | 2 |
| 2000s | 2.57 | 1.89 | 2.87 | 4 |
| 2010s | 3 | 2.64 | 3.39 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.37 | 3.34 | 3.42 | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More reference data data for South Korea
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.1 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.7164 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.8996 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 2.24 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.9115 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 135 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is palma ratio (before tax) in South Korea?
- Palma ratio (before tax) in South Korea was 3.36 in 2022, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest palma ratio (before tax) recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3.42 in 2021.
- What is the lowest palma ratio (before tax) recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.48 in 1996.
- How does South Korea rank for palma ratio (before tax)?
- South Korea ranks 77th out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is palma ratio (before tax) rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Palma ratio (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The Palma ratio is a measure of inequality that divides the share received by the richest 10% by the share of the poorest 40%. Higher values indicate higher inequality. Inequality is measured here in terms of income before taxes and benefits.