Korea

East Asia & Pacific·High incomeG20OECD

Population: 51.7M; 29th of 217
GDP: $1.71T; 15th of 214 · 2023
GDP per capita: $33,121; 50th of 214 · 2023
Life expectancy: 83.4; 13th of 217
Human development: 0.925; 19th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Korea

Brunei Darussalam

New Caledonia

Japan

Guam

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

high-income, export- and technology-oriented East Asian economy; manufacturing led by semiconductor and automotive industries; slow growth amid declining construction investment, export risks, and recent political instability; aging workforce; increased restraint in fiscal policy while maintaining industry support initiatives

Area: 99,720 km²
Resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential
Borders: North Korea

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Unaffiliated48.3%▲ 6.9pt
Christian32%
Buddhist19%▼ 6.6pt

Religious diversity: 7.33 / 10 · very high · 3rd of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

KOR

BRN

NCL

JPN

GDP

current US$

$1.71T–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$15.2B–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

74.4%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

1.6%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

31.6%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

Population

people

51.7M–––

Population density

people per km²

529.4–––

Urban population

% of total

81.5%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

0.7–––

Net migration

people

76K–––

Population under 15

% of total

10.6%–––

Population 65+

% of total

19.3%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

9.9%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

4.9%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Safe drinking water

% of population

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

69.9K–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

12K–––

Electricity generation

TWh

622–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

1.5%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.47–––

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.288–––

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

5.04–––

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

3.23–––

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

3.91–––

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

5.26–––

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

52.9%–––

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

2.58–––

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

15.2%–––

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

22%–––

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

60.4%–––

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

5.1%–––

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

57.5%–––

Luck matters more than work

1–10

5.54–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

7.33–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

48.3%–––

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

–––

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

2.48–––

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

2.46–––

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

2.62–––

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

2.76–––

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

7.9–––

National pride

mean, 1–4

2.91–––

Would fight for country

% yes

67.4%–––

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

2.4–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

–––

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

2.8%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#15/214

$1.71T2023

GDP per capita

current US$

#50/214

$33,1212023

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#42/203

$52,204latest

GDP growth

annual %

#164/214

1.4%2023

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#40/207

$35,4902023

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#50/213

2.1%2023

FDI inflows

current US$

#26/201

$15.2B2024

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#58/205

74.4%2023

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#164/206

1.6%2023

Industry value added

% of GDP

#48/208

31.6%2023

Unemployment

% of labor force

#28/187

2.7%latest

Gini index

0–100

#56/168

32.9latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#32/168

0.2%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#29/217

51.7Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#22/216

529.4latest

Urban population

% of total

#59/215

81.5%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#13/217

83.4latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#216/217

0.7latest

Net migration

people

#21/217

76K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#216/217

10.6%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#39/217

19.3%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#15/196

2.3latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#17/196

2.8latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#30/192

9.9%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#71/195

2.5latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#36/160

98.8%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#66/199

4.9%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#7/194

103.3%latest

Safe drinking water

% of population

#27/139

99.3%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#15/210

97.4%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#21/214

162.12023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#9/208

46.62023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#56/215

11.9K2024

Access to electricity

% of population

#60/215

100%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#15/198

69.9K2024

Electricity per capita

kWh

#14/202

12K2024

Electricity generation

TWh

#8/202

6222024

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#154/202

9.6%2024

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#93/202

60.1%2024

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#196/204

583.72024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#185/204

11.32024

Share of global CO₂

#9/204

1.5%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#168/193

12.12023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#28/172

0.8122022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#27/172

0.7322022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#30/178

632022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#39/193

0.7482022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#20/193

1.352022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#26/193

1.162022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#61/193

0.5622022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#44/172

0.8822022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Emancipative values

Welzel index, 0–1

#47/104

0.472018

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

#77/105

0.2882018

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

#92/113

5.042018

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

#59/112

3.232018

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

#42/114

3.912018

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

#48/114

5.262018

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

#88/114

2.222018

Tax cheating seen as justifiable

1–10

#66/111

2.222018

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

#28/113

52.9%2018

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

#36/109

2.582018

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

#59/112

15.2%2018

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

#51/112

22%2018

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

#20/114

60.4%2018

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

#113/114

5.1%2018

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

#59/110

57.5%2018

Luck matters more than work

1–10

#13/109

5.542018

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#3/193

7.332020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#11/193

48.3%2020

Trust & Institutions

Who people trust, and how much faith they place in government, press, and courts

theme overview →

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

#30/114

32.9%2018

Confidence in government

mean, 1–4

#34/112

2.482018

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

#34/113

2.462018

Confidence in courts

mean, 1–4

#44/110

2.622018

Support for a strong leader

good system, 1–4

#28/111

2.762018

Importance of democracy

mean, 1–10

#84/104

7.92018

National pride

mean, 1–4

#112/114

2.912018

Would fight for country

% yes

#67/113

67.4%2018

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

#50/114

2.42018

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#19/189

0.9252021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#15/170

0.0672021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#70/164

6.042025

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

#72/113

6.982018

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

#78/114

6.732018

Global Peace Index

1–5

#42/158

1.762023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#37/161

2.8%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.