External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in South Korea
South Korea: External balance on goods and services (current LCU) was 137.55 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
137.55 trillion current LCU
Change on year
up 32.0%
World rank
3rd
of 193 countries
All-time high
137.55 trillion current LCU
in 2025
All-time low
-16.81 trillion current LCU
in 1996
Years of data
66
1960–2025
External balance on goods and services in South Korea, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2025, external balance on goods and services in South Korea stood at 137.55 trillion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 32.0% on the previous year and up 20.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in South Korea peaked at 137.55 trillion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, -16.81 trillion current LCU, in 1996.
That places South Korea 3rd out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -23.30 billion current LCU | — |
| 1961 | -29.90 billion current LCU | +28.3% |
| 1962 | -42.90 billion current LCU | +43.5% |
| 1963 | -55.50 billion current LCU | +29.4% |
| 1964 | -54.90 billion current LCU | -1.1% |
| 1965 | -59.80 billion current LCU | +8.9% |
| 1966 | -104.20 billion current LCU | +74.2% |
| 1967 | -138.80 billion current LCU | +33.2% |
| 1968 | -211.50 billion current LCU | +52.4% |
| 1969 | -262.00 billion current LCU | +23.9% |
| 1970 | -272.00 billion current LCU | +3.8% |
| 1971 | -357.30 billion current LCU | +31.4% |
| 1972 | -210.20 billion current LCU | -41.2% |
| 1973 | -211.20 billion current LCU | +0.5% |
| 1974 | -884.60 billion current LCU | +318.8% |
| 1975 | -929.20 billion current LCU | +5.0% |
| 1976 | -423.80 billion current LCU | -54.4% |
| 1977 | -364.00 billion current LCU | -14.1% |
| 1978 | -1.09 trillion current LCU | +200.0% |
| 1979 | -2.39 trillion current LCU | +118.9% |
| 1980 | -3.55 trillion current LCU | +48.4% |
| 1981 | -3.74 trillion current LCU | +5.5% |
| 1982 | -3.25 trillion current LCU | -13.0% |
| 1983 | -1.59 trillion current LCU | -51.3% |
| 1984 | 216.40 billion current LCU | -113.6% |
| 1985 | 816.40 billion current LCU | +277.3% |
| 1986 | 3.74 trillion current LCU | +358.5% |
| 1987 | 7.84 trillion current LCU | +109.4% |
| 1988 | 8.93 trillion current LCU | +13.9% |
| 1989 | 2.77 trillion current LCU | -69.0% |
| 1990 | -1.76 trillion current LCU | -163.7% |
| 1991 | -5.79 trillion current LCU | +228.1% |
| 1992 | -1.96 trillion current LCU | -66.1% |
| 1993 | 963.70 billion current LCU | -149.2% |
| 1994 | -2.80 trillion current LCU | -390.8% |
| 1995 | -5.49 trillion current LCU | +96.1% |
| 1996 | -16.81 trillion current LCU | +206.0% |
| 1997 | -5.32 trillion current LCU | -68.4% |
| 1998 | 56.48 trillion current LCU | -1161.7% |
| 1999 | 31.45 trillion current LCU | -44.3% |
| 2000 | 11.28 trillion current LCU | -64.1% |
| 2001 | 9.51 trillion current LCU | -15.7% |
| 2002 | 8.70 trillion current LCU | -8.6% |
| 2003 | 12.72 trillion current LCU | +46.3% |
| 2004 | 31.05 trillion current LCU | +144.1% |
| 2005 | 20.75 trillion current LCU | -33.2% |
| 2006 | 5.40 trillion current LCU | -74.0% |
| 2007 | 8.61 trillion current LCU | +59.4% |
| 2008 | -4.68 trillion current LCU | -154.3% |
| 2009 | 48.91 trillion current LCU | -1145.1% |
| 2010 | 34.71 trillion current LCU | -29.0% |
| 2011 | 12.78 trillion current LCU | -63.2% |
| 2012 | 38.07 trillion current LCU | +197.9% |
| 2013 | 67.55 trillion current LCU | +77.5% |
| 2014 | 76.04 trillion current LCU | +12.6% |
| 2015 | 113.99 trillion current LCU | +49.9% |
| 2016 | 115.96 trillion current LCU | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 87.15 trillion current LCU | -24.8% |
| 2018 | 84.24 trillion current LCU | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 53.78 trillion current LCU | -36.2% |
| 2020 | 75.86 trillion current LCU | +41.1% |
| 2021 | 74.91 trillion current LCU | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 106.30 billion current LCU | -99.9% |
| 2023 | 9.27 trillion current LCU | +8622.8% |
| 2024 | 104.17 trillion current LCU | +1023.4% |
| 2025 | 137.55 trillion current LCU | +32.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 137.55 trillion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.18 billion current LCU, 43260.1× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 137.55 trillion current LCU is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -190.00 million current LCU. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services (current LCU) in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +8622.8% | 106.30 billion current LCU | 9.27 trillion current LCU |
| 1998 | +1161.7% | -5.32 trillion current LCU | 56.48 trillion current LCU |
| 2009 | +1145.1% | -4.68 trillion current LCU | 48.91 trillion current LCU |
| 2024 | +1023.4% | 9.27 trillion current LCU | 104.17 trillion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -98.28 billion current LCU | -262.00 billion current LCU | -23.30 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | -713.52 billion current LCU | -2.39 trillion current LCU | -210.20 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.22 trillion current LCU | -3.74 trillion current LCU | 8.93 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.90 trillion current LCU | -16.81 trillion current LCU | 56.48 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.23 trillion current LCU | -4.68 trillion current LCU | 48.91 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 68.43 trillion current LCU | 12.78 trillion current LCU | 115.96 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 66.98 trillion current LCU | 106.30 billion current LCU | 137.55 trillion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More economy & growth data for South Korea
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 7.89 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0085 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 307.17 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 2.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0062 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 224.29 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0047 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per capita 168.75 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, SDR, annual growth rate -0.4147 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in South Korea?
- External balance on goods and services in South Korea was 137.55 trillion current LCU in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 137.55 trillion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -16.81 trillion current LCU in 1996.
- How does South Korea rank for external balance on goods and services?
- South Korea ranks 3rd out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.