South Korea

KOR
Updated Sep 9, 2026
Nominal GDP
$1.87T
-0.2%2025
GDP growth
1.01%
-1.00pp2025
Consumer inflation
2.12%
-0.20pp2025
Policy rate
2.5%
0.00ppJun 2026
Unemployment
2.68%
-0.10pp2025
GDP per capita
$36,227
-0.03%2025

Output & income

GDP growth

1.01%-1.00pp
-2%02%4%6%2015201820212025
11 values
GDP growth, every published observation
PeriodValue
20251.01%
20242.0%
20231.58%
20222.73%
20214.61%
2020-0.7%
20192.31%
20183.18%
20173.43%
20163.17%
20152.92%

Nominal GDP

$1.87T-0.2%
$1.4T$1.6T$1.8T$2T2015201820212025
11 values
Nominal GDP, every published observation
PeriodValue
2025$1.87T
2024$1.88T
2023$1.84T
2022$1.80T
2021$1.94T
2020$1.74T
2019$1.75T
2018$1.82T
2017$1.71T
2016$1.58T
2015$1.54T

Real GDP

$1.94T+1.0%
$1.4T$1.6T$1.8T$2T2015201820212025
11 values
Real GDP, every published observation
PeriodValue
2025$1.94T
2024$1.92T
2023$1.88T
2022$1.85T
2021$1.80T
2020$1.72T
2019$1.73T
2018$1.69T
2017$1.64T
2016$1.59T
2015$1.54T

GDP per capita

$36,227-0.03%
$25k$30k$35k$40k2015201820212025
11 values
GDP per capita, every published observation
PeriodValue
2025$36,227
2024$36,239
2023$35,674
2022$34,822
2021$37,518
2020$33,646
2019$33,827
2018$35,364
2017$33,297
2016$30,832
2015$30,172

Prices, rates & jobs

Consumer inflation

2.12%-0.20pp
02%4%6%2015201820212025
11 values
Consumer inflation, every published observation
PeriodValue
20252.12%
20242.32%
20233.6%
20225.09%
20212.5%
20200.54%
20190.38%
20181.48%
20171.94%
20160.97%
20150.71%

Policy rate

2.5%0.00pp
01%2%3%4%Jun 2016Dec 2018Jun 2021Dec 2023Jun 2026
121 values
Policy rate, every published observation
PeriodValue
Jun 20262.5%
May 20262.5%
Apr 20262.5%
Mar 20262.5%
Feb 20262.5%
Jan 20262.5%
Dec 20252.5%
Nov 20252.5%
Oct 20252.5%
Sep 20252.5%
Aug 20252.5%
Jul 20252.5%
Jun 20252.5%
May 20252.5%
Apr 20252.75%
Mar 20252.75%
Feb 20252.75%
Jan 20253.0%
Dec 20243.0%
Nov 20243.0%
Oct 20243.25%
Sep 20243.5%
Aug 20243.5%
Jul 20243.5%
Jun 20243.5%
May 20243.5%
Apr 20243.5%
Mar 20243.5%
Feb 20243.5%
Jan 20243.5%
Dec 20233.5%
Nov 20233.5%
Oct 20233.5%
Sep 20233.5%
Aug 20233.5%
Jul 20233.5%
Jun 20233.5%
May 20233.5%
Apr 20233.5%
Mar 20233.5%
Feb 20233.5%
Jan 20233.5%
Dec 20223.25%
Nov 20223.25%
Oct 20223.0%
Sep 20222.5%
Aug 20222.5%
Jul 20222.25%
Jun 20221.75%
May 20221.75%
Apr 20221.5%
Mar 20221.25%
Feb 20221.25%
Jan 20221.25%
Dec 20211.0%
Nov 20211.0%
Oct 20210.75%
Sep 20210.75%
Aug 20210.75%
Jul 20210.5%
Jun 20210.5%
May 20210.5%
Apr 20210.5%
Mar 20210.5%
Feb 20210.5%
Jan 20210.5%
Dec 20200.5%
Nov 20200.5%
Oct 20200.5%
Sep 20200.5%
Aug 20200.5%
Jul 20200.5%
Jun 20200.5%
May 20200.5%
Apr 20200.75%
Mar 20200.75%
Feb 20201.25%
Jan 20201.25%
Dec 20191.25%
Nov 20191.25%
Oct 20191.25%
Sep 20191.5%
Aug 20191.5%
Jul 20191.5%
Jun 20191.75%
May 20191.75%
Apr 20191.75%
Mar 20191.75%
Feb 20191.75%
Jan 20191.75%
Dec 20181.75%
Nov 20181.75%
Oct 20181.5%
Sep 20181.5%
Aug 20181.5%
Jul 20181.5%
Jun 20181.5%
May 20181.5%
Apr 20181.5%
Mar 20181.5%
Feb 20181.5%
Jan 20181.5%
Dec 20171.5%
Nov 20171.5%
Oct 20171.25%
Sep 20171.25%
Aug 20171.25%
Jul 20171.25%
Jun 20171.25%
May 20171.25%
Apr 20171.25%
Mar 20171.25%
Feb 20171.25%
Jan 20171.25%
Dec 20161.25%
Nov 20161.25%
Oct 20161.25%
Sep 20161.25%
Aug 20161.25%
Jul 20161.25%
Jun 20161.25%

Unemployment

2.68%-0.10pp
2.5%3%3.5%4%4.5%2015201820212025
11 values
Unemployment, every published observation
PeriodValue
20252.68%
20242.78%
20232.67%
20222.86%
20213.64%
20203.93%
20193.75%
20183.82%
20173.65%
20163.65%
20153.55%

Trade & currency

Trade balance

$96.7B+$20.3B
0$50B$100B$150B2015201820212025
11 values
Trade balance, every published observation
PeriodValue
2025$96.7B
2024$76.4B
2023$7.10B
2022$0.08B
2021$65.5B
2020$64.3B
2019$46.2B
2018$76.6B
2017$77.1B
2016$99.9B
2015$101B

Current account, % of GDP

6.57%+1.24pp
02%4%6%8%2015201820212025
11 values
Current account, % of GDP, every published observation
PeriodValue
20256.57%
20245.33%
20231.76%
20221.29%
20214.32%
20204.39%
20193.41%
20184.25%
20174.4%
20166.2%
20156.83%

Export growth

4.22%-2.61pp
-5%05%10%15%2015201820212025
11 values
Export growth, every published observation
PeriodValue
20254.22%
20246.83%
20233.41%
20223.92%
202110.79%
2020-1.66%
2019-0.17%
20183.8%
20172.49%
20162.45%
2015-0.0%

Import growth

3.84%+1.36pp
-5%05%10%15%2015201820212025
11 values
Import growth, every published observation
PeriodValue
20253.84%
20242.49%
20233.01%
20224.15%
202110.19%
2020-3.26%
2019-2.02%
20181.64%
20177.92%
20165.43%
20151.94%

Exchange rate per USD

1,422+4.3%
1k1.2k1.4k1.6k2015201820212025
11 values
Exchange rate per USD, every published observation
PeriodValue
20251,422
20241,363
20231,306
20221,291
20211,144
20201,180
20191,165
20181,100
20171,131
20161,161
20151,131

FX reserves

$437B+4.4%
$350B$400B$450B$500B2015201820212025
11 values
FX reserves, every published observation
PeriodValue
2025$437B
2024$418B
2023$421B
2022$423B
2021$463B
2020$443B
2019$409B
2018$403B
2017$389B
2016$370B
2015$367B

People

Population

51.7M-0.1%
50.5M51M51.5M52M2015201820212025
11 values
Population, every published observation
PeriodValue
202551.7M
202451.8M
202351.7M
202251.7M
202151.8M
202051.8M
201951.8M
201851.6M
201751.4M
201651.2M
201551.0M

Population growth

-0.13%-0.20pp
-0.2%00.2%0.4%0.6%2015201820212025
11 values
Population growth, every published observation
PeriodValue
2025-0.13%
20240.07%
20230.08%
2022-0.19%
2021-0.13%
20200.14%
20190.35%
20180.43%
20170.28%
20160.4%
20150.53%

Urban population

81.17%+0.01pp
81%81.2%81.4%81.6%81.8%2015201820212025
11 values
Urban population, every published observation
PeriodValue
202581.17%
202481.17%
202381.16%
202281.16%
202181.16%
202081.18%
201981.29%
201881.38%
201781.47%
201681.56%
201581.64%

All indicators

Latest reading for every indicator published for this country
IndicatorLatestChangePeriod10 years
GDP growth1.01%-1.00pp2025
Nominal GDP$1.87T-0.2%2025
Real GDP$1.94T+1.0%2025
GDP per capita$36,227-0.03%2025
Consumer inflation2.12%-0.20pp2025
Policy rate2.5%0.00ppJun 2026
Unemployment2.68%-0.10pp2025
Trade balance$96.7B+$20.3B2025
Current account, % of GDP6.57%+1.24pp2025
Export growth4.22%-2.61pp2025
Import growth3.84%+1.36pp2025
Exchange rate per USD1,422+4.3%2025
FX reserves$437B+4.4%2025
Population51.7M-0.1%2025
Population growth-0.13%-0.20pp2025
Urban population81.17%+0.01pp2025