Spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in South Korea
South Korea: Spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad was 31.42 billion current US$ in 2024. ▲ Rising
Spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in South Korea, 1995–2024
Source: UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
In 2024, spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in South Korea stood at 31.42 billion current US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.4% on the previous year and up 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in South Korea peaked at 38.02 billion current US$ in 2018 and was at its lowest, 4.03 billion current US$, in 1998.
South Korea ranks 13th of 199 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 30 years of available data.
Spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in South Korea, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 6.95 billion current US$ | — |
| 1996 | 8.29 billion current US$ | +19.3% |
| 1997 | 8.04 billion current US$ | -3.0% |
| 1998 | 4.03 billion current US$ | -49.9% |
| 1999 | 5.55 billion current US$ | +37.9% |
| 2000 | 7.95 billion current US$ | +43.0% |
| 2001 | 8.35 billion current US$ | +5.1% |
| 2002 | 11.44 billion current US$ | +37.0% |
| 2003 | 11.06 billion current US$ | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 13.51 billion current US$ | +22.1% |
| 2005 | 16.92 billion current US$ | +25.3% |
| 2006 | 20.95 billion current US$ | +23.8% |
| 2007 | 24.43 billion current US$ | +16.6% |
| 2008 | 21.45 billion current US$ | -12.2% |
| 2009 | 16.36 billion current US$ | -23.7% |
| 2010 | 20.79 billion current US$ | +27.1% |
| 2011 | 22.20 billion current US$ | +6.8% |
| 2012 | 22.93 billion current US$ | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 24.46 billion current US$ | +6.6% |
| 2014 | 26.14 billion current US$ | +6.9% |
| 2015 | 27.96 billion current US$ | +7.0% |
| 2016 | 29.82 billion current US$ | +6.7% |
| 2017 | 34.45 billion current US$ | +15.5% |
| 2018 | 38.02 billion current US$ | +10.4% |
| 2019 | 35.34 billion current US$ | -7.1% |
| 2020 | 16.65 billion current US$ | -52.9% |
| 2021 | 18.34 billion current US$ | +10.2% |
| 2022 | 22.27 billion current US$ | +21.4% |
| 2023 | 29.81 billion current US$ | +33.9% |
| 2024 | 31.42 billion current US$ | +5.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 31.42 billion current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.47 billion current US$, 7.0× the median. (71 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 31.42 billion current US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 569.60 million current US$, 55.2× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.57 billion current US$ | 4.03 billion current US$ | 8.29 billion current US$ | 5 |
| 2000s | 15.24 billion current US$ | 7.95 billion current US$ | 24.43 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.21 billion current US$ | 20.79 billion current US$ | 38.02 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.70 billion current US$ | 16.65 billion current US$ | 31.42 billion current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
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 spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in South Korea?
- Spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad in South Korea was 31.42 billion current US$ in 2024, according to UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 38.02 billion current US$ in 2018.
- What is the lowest spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.03 billion current US$ in 1998.
- How does South Korea rank for spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad?
- South Korea ranks 13th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UN Tourism (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Spending by a country’s residents while travelling abroad. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Money spent by a country’s residents abroad on accommodation, food, transport, entertainment, shopping, and fares paid to foreign airlines. The data is expressed in current US dollars and is not adjusted for inflation or differences in living costs between countries.