Exports of goods and services in Korea
Korea: Exports of goods and services was 45.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Exports of goods and services in Korea, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Korea recorded 45.8% for exports of goods and services in 2025.
The figure is up 3.2% on the previous year and up 11.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exports of goods and services in Korea peaked at 52.0% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 1960.
That places Korea 67th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Exports of goods and services in Korea, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.6% | — |
| 1961 | 4.0% | +53.1% |
| 1962 | 3.9% | -4.1% |
| 1963 | 3.9% | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 4.9% | +25.4% |
| 1965 | 7.1% | +43.6% |
| 1966 | 8.4% | +18.3% |
| 1967 | 9.0% | +7.8% |
| 1968 | 10.1% | +11.3% |
| 1969 | 10.5% | +4.6% |
| 1970 | 11.3% | +7.4% |
| 1971 | 12.5% | +10.6% |
| 1972 | 16.3% | +30.6% |
| 1973 | 23.5% | +44.0% |
| 1974 | 21.8% | -7.4% |
| 1975 | 22.2% | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 25.0% | +12.9% |
| 1977 | 25.5% | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 24.5% | -4.0% |
| 1979 | 23.1% | -5.5% |
| 1980 | 27.7% | +19.9% |
| 1981 | 29.2% | +5.2% |
| 1982 | 26.7% | -8.5% |
| 1983 | 27.2% | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 28.1% | +3.6% |
| 1985 | 26.1% | -7.2% |
| 1986 | 31.0% | +18.6% |
| 1987 | 33.7% | +8.7% |
| 1988 | 31.4% | -6.7% |
| 1989 | 26.5% | -15.8% |
| 1990 | 24.2% | -8.7% |
| 1991 | 23.0% | -4.9% |
| 1992 | 23.3% | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 22.9% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 23.5% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 25.1% | +6.7% |
| 1996 | 24.2% | -3.7% |
| 1997 | 27.5% | +13.8% |
| 1998 | 38.2% | +39.2% |
| 1999 | 31.5% | -17.6% |
| 2000 | 32.9% | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 30.9% | -6.1% |
| 2002 | 28.9% | -6.5% |
| 2003 | 30.4% | +5.5% |
| 2004 | 35.6% | +17.0% |
| 2005 | 34.1% | -4.2% |
| 2006 | 34.4% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 36.0% | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 45.8% | +27.2% |
| 2009 | 43.5% | -5.1% |
| 2010 | 45.3% | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 51.3% | +13.3% |
| 2012 | 52.0% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 49.2% | -5.4% |
| 2014 | 45.8% | -7.0% |
| 2015 | 41.0% | -10.5% |
| 2016 | 38.1% | -7.0% |
| 2017 | 38.8% | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 39.5% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 37.0% | -6.1% |
| 2020 | 34.6% | -6.5% |
| 2021 | 39.3% | +13.6% |
| 2022 | 45.3% | +15.1% |
| 2023 | 41.3% | -8.8% |
| 2024 | 44.4% | +7.3% |
| 2025 | 45.8% | +3.2% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 45.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 52.0%, 88% of the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Korea's 45.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 33.0%, 1.4× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.4% | 2.6% | 10.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 20.6% | 11.3% | 25.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 28.8% | 26.1% | 33.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.3% | 22.9% | 38.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 35.3% | 28.9% | 45.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.8% | 37.0% | 52.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.8% | 34.6% | 45.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Korea
More economy & growth data for Korea
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 41.23 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.022 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 797.74 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 15.80 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 22.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0084 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 305.78 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 4.39 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2332 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 8,447 includes gold, current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exports of goods and services in Korea?
- Exports of goods and services in Korea was 45.8% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest exports of goods and services recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 52.0% in 2012.
- What is the lowest exports of goods and services recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 1960.
- How does Korea rank for exports of goods and services?
- Korea ranks 67th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is exports of goods and services rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Exports of goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Exports of goods includes changes in the economic ownership of goods from residents of the compiling economy to non-residents, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Exports of services includes services provided by residents to non-residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.