External balance on goods and services in South Korea
South Korea: External balance on goods and services was 96.70 billion current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
96.70 billion current US$
Change on year
up 26.6%
World rank
6th
of 193 countries
All-time high
100.79 billion current US$
in 2015
All-time low
-20.90 billion current US$
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 US$.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 96.70 billion current US$ for external balance on goods and services in 2025.
That represents a change of up 26.6% on the previous year and down 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in South Korea peaked at 100.79 billion current US$ in 2015 and was at its lowest, -20.90 billion current US$, in 1996.
That places South Korea 6th out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services in South Korea, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -369.11 million current US$ | — |
| 1961 | -239.60 million current US$ | -35.1% |
| 1962 | -330.00 million current US$ | +37.7% |
| 1963 | -426.92 million current US$ | +29.4% |
| 1964 | -256.73 million current US$ | -39.9% |
| 1965 | -224.47 million current US$ | -12.6% |
| 1966 | -384.02 million current US$ | +71.1% |
| 1967 | -513.09 million current US$ | +33.6% |
| 1968 | -764.52 million current US$ | +49.0% |
| 1969 | -909.22 million current US$ | +18.9% |
| 1970 | -875.85 million current US$ | -3.7% |
| 1971 | -1.03 billion current US$ | +17.5% |
| 1972 | -535.00 million current US$ | -48.0% |
| 1973 | -530.23 million current US$ | -0.9% |
| 1974 | -2.19 billion current US$ | +312.5% |
| 1975 | -1.92 billion current US$ | -12.2% |
| 1976 | -875.62 million current US$ | -54.4% |
| 1977 | -752.07 million current US$ | -14.1% |
| 1978 | -2.26 billion current US$ | +200.0% |
| 1979 | -4.94 billion current US$ | +118.9% |
| 1980 | -5.84 billion current US$ | +18.2% |
| 1981 | -5.49 billion current US$ | -5.9% |
| 1982 | -4.45 billion current US$ | -19.0% |
| 1983 | -2.04 billion current US$ | -54.1% |
| 1984 | 268.49 million current US$ | -113.1% |
| 1985 | 938.37 million current US$ | +249.5% |
| 1986 | 4.25 billion current US$ | +352.5% |
| 1987 | 9.53 billion current US$ | +124.4% |
| 1988 | 12.20 billion current US$ | +28.1% |
| 1989 | 4.12 billion current US$ | -66.2% |
| 1990 | -2.49 billion current US$ | -160.4% |
| 1991 | -7.89 billion current US$ | +216.6% |
| 1992 | -2.51 billion current US$ | -68.2% |
| 1993 | 1.20 billion current US$ | -147.8% |
| 1994 | -3.49 billion current US$ | -390.5% |
| 1995 | -7.12 billion current US$ | +104.2% |
| 1996 | -20.90 billion current US$ | +193.4% |
| 1997 | -5.59 billion current US$ | -73.2% |
| 1998 | 40.30 billion current US$ | -820.7% |
| 1999 | 26.45 billion current US$ | -34.4% |
| 2000 | 9.98 billion current US$ | -62.3% |
| 2001 | 7.37 billion current US$ | -26.2% |
| 2002 | 6.95 billion current US$ | -5.7% |
| 2003 | 10.67 billion current US$ | +53.6% |
| 2004 | 27.11 billion current US$ | +154.0% |
| 2005 | 20.26 billion current US$ | -25.3% |
| 2006 | 5.66 billion current US$ | -72.1% |
| 2007 | 9.27 billion current US$ | +63.8% |
| 2008 | -4.25 billion current US$ | -145.8% |
| 2009 | 38.31 billion current US$ | -1002.0% |
| 2010 | 30.01 billion current US$ | -21.7% |
| 2011 | 11.53 billion current US$ | -61.6% |
| 2012 | 33.78 billion current US$ | +193.0% |
| 2013 | 61.69 billion current US$ | +82.6% |
| 2014 | 72.23 billion current US$ | +17.1% |
| 2015 | 100.79 billion current US$ | +39.5% |
| 2016 | 99.90 billion current US$ | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 77.06 billion current US$ | -22.9% |
| 2018 | 76.57 billion current US$ | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 46.15 billion current US$ | -39.7% |
| 2020 | 64.28 billion current US$ | +39.3% |
| 2021 | 65.48 billion current US$ | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 82.31 million current US$ | -99.9% |
| 2023 | 7.10 billion current US$ | +8527.8% |
| 2024 | 76.40 billion current US$ | +975.9% |
| 2025 | 96.70 billion current US$ | +26.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 96.70 billion current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.43 billion current US$, 28.2× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 96.70 billion current US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -166.62 million current US$. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +8527.8% | 82.31 million current US$ | 7.10 billion current US$ |
| 2009 | +1002.0% | -4.25 billion current US$ | 38.31 billion current US$ |
| 2024 | +975.9% | 7.10 billion current US$ | 76.40 billion current US$ |
| 1998 | +820.7% | -5.59 billion current US$ | 40.30 billion current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -441.77 million current US$ | -909.22 million current US$ | -224.47 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.59 billion current US$ | -4.94 billion current US$ | -530.23 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.35 billion current US$ | -5.84 billion current US$ | 12.20 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.80 billion current US$ | -20.90 billion current US$ | 40.30 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.13 billion current US$ | -4.25 billion current US$ | 38.31 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.97 billion current US$ | 11.53 billion current US$ | 100.79 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.67 billion current US$ | 82.31 million current US$ | 96.70 billion current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 3 Singapore 213.75 billion current US$ compare
- 4 Netherlands 149.52 billion current US$ compare
- 5 Germany 119.04 billion current US$ compare
- 7 Switzerland 93.33 billion current US$ compare
- 8 Qatar 87.17 billion current US$ compare
- 9 United Arab Emirates 76.55 billion current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for South 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 external balance on goods and services in South Korea?
- External balance on goods and services in South Korea was 96.70 billion current US$ 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 100.79 billion current US$ in 2015.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -20.90 billion current US$ in 1996.
- How does South Korea rank for external balance on goods and services?
- South Korea ranks 6th 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 down 4.1%. 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 US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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 indicator is expressed in United States dollars.