Final consumption expenditure in South Korea
South Korea: Final consumption expenditure was 1.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Final consumption expenditure in South Korea, 1961–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in annual % growth.
Analysis
The most recent figure for final consumption expenditure in South Korea is 1.8%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 29.6% on the previous year and down 39.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, final consumption expenditure in South Korea peaked at 11.0% in 1989 and was at its lowest, -9.3%, in 1998.
South Korea ranks 130th of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Final consumption expenditure in South Korea, year by year
| Year | annual % growth | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.2% | — |
| 1962 | 9.1% | +310.8% |
| 1963 | 4.5% | -50.8% |
| 1964 | 7.6% | +71.0% |
| 1965 | 7.0% | -8.6% |
| 1966 | 7.1% | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 9.0% | +26.6% |
| 1968 | 10.6% | +18.0% |
| 1969 | 10.8% | +1.6% |
| 1970 | 10.3% | -4.0% |
| 1971 | 9.6% | -7.1% |
| 1972 | 6.1% | -36.6% |
| 1973 | 8.4% | +37.6% |
| 1974 | 7.7% | -8.0% |
| 1975 | 6.0% | -21.5% |
| 1976 | 7.5% | +23.6% |
| 1977 | 5.8% | -21.8% |
| 1978 | 8.1% | +37.8% |
| 1979 | 8.5% | +4.8% |
| 1980 | 1.6% | -80.8% |
| 1981 | 5.6% | +248.2% |
| 1982 | 6.7% | +19.2% |
| 1983 | 8.4% | +24.8% |
| 1984 | 7.3% | -13.1% |
| 1985 | 6.9% | -5.7% |
| 1986 | 8.9% | +29.0% |
| 1987 | 8.4% | -5.2% |
| 1988 | 9.4% | +11.8% |
| 1989 | 11.0% | +17.3% |
| 1990 | 10.1% | -8.4% |
| 1991 | 8.4% | -17.4% |
| 1992 | 7.0% | -16.0% |
| 1993 | 6.6% | -5.9% |
| 1994 | 8.4% | +27.1% |
| 1995 | 9.7% | +15.9% |
| 1996 | 7.7% | -20.5% |
| 1997 | 4.1% | -47.6% |
| 1998 | -9.3% | -330.6% |
| 1999 | 10.9% | -216.4% |
| 2000 | 7.6% | -30.4% |
| 2001 | 5.9% | -22.7% |
| 2002 | 8.7% | +47.8% |
| 2003 | 0.7% | -92.0% |
| 2004 | 1.2% | +78.1% |
| 2005 | 4.9% | +291.2% |
| 2006 | 5.5% | +12.8% |
| 2007 | 5.6% | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 2.3% | -58.5% |
| 2009 | 1.5% | -35.4% |
| 2010 | 4.7% | +215.1% |
| 2011 | 3.1% | -34.9% |
| 2012 | 2.3% | -23.8% |
| 2013 | 2.5% | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 2.9% | +11.4% |
| 2016 | 3.1% | +8.6% |
| 2017 | 3.1% | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 3.8% | +23.6% |
| 2019 | 3.3% | -12.1% |
| 2020 | -2.2% | -167.7% |
| 2021 | 4.2% | -288.4% |
| 2022 | 4.2% | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 2.0% | -52.1% |
| 2024 | 1.4% | -32.3% |
| 2025 | 1.8% | +29.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.0%, 87% of the median. (61 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.5%, 50% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Final consumption expenditure 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | -330.6% | 4.1% | -9.3% |
| 1962 | +310.8% | 2.2% | 9.1% |
| 2005 | +291.2% | 1.2% | 4.9% |
| 2021 | +288.4% | -2.2% | 4.2% |
| 1981 | +248.2% | 1.6% | 5.6% |
| 1999 | +216.4% | -9.3% | 10.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 7.5% | 2.2% | 10.8% | 9 |
| 1970s | 7.8% | 5.8% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.4% | 1.6% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.4% | -9.3% | 10.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.4% | 0.7% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.1% | 2.3% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | -2.2% | 4.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
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 final consumption expenditure in South Korea?
- Final consumption expenditure in South Korea was 1.8% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest final consumption expenditure recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 11.0% in 1989.
- What is the lowest final consumption expenditure recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -9.3% in 1998.
- How does South Korea rank for final consumption expenditure?
- South Korea ranks 130th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is final consumption expenditure rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.0%. 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 Final consumption expenditure (annual % growth). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Final consumption expenditure is expenditure on goods and services by resident institutional units for the direct satisfaction of human needs or wants, whether individual or collective. Final consumption expenditure can be measured for households, general government, the central bank and non-profit institutions serving households. This indicator denotes the percentage change over each previous year of the constant price (base year 2015) series in United States dollars.