Korea vs Sweden: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP

Korea
4.9%
in 2023
Sweden
3.6%
in 2023
Korea rank
2nd
Sweden rank
4th

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP over time

  • Korea
  • Sweden
012345200020112023

How they compare

Korea currently reports 4.9% against 3.6% in Sweden, a difference of 1.3%.

That makes Korea's figure about 1.4 times Sweden's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 22 shared years of data; in 2001 it was Sweden ahead.

Korea ranks 2nd and Sweden ranks 4th of 121 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Korea averaged higher in 2 and Sweden in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Korea Sweden Difference Ahead
2000s 2.6% 3.5% 0.9% Sweden
2010s 3.8% 3.3% 0.6% Korea
2020s 4.7% 3.5% 1.2% Korea

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp, Korea or Sweden?
Korea, at 4.9% against 3.6% in Sweden as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp between Korea and Sweden?
1.3%, with Korea ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Korea and Sweden?
22 years are reported by both, from 2001 to 2023.
How do Korea and Sweden rank globally for research and development expenditure as a proportion of gdp?
Korea ranks 2nd and Sweden ranks 4th of 121 countries.
Where does this data come from?
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Korea vs Sweden: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-as-a-proportion-of-gdp-percent/korea-rep/sweden/

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About this data

Indicator
Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP (%)
Unit
%
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
143 places, 2,753 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed