GDP per capita growth (annual %) (Country official) in South Korea
South Korea: GDP per capita growth (annual %) (Country official) was 1.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
GDP per capita growth in South Korea, 1961–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gdp per capita growth in South Korea is 1.1%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 41.0% on the previous year and down 52.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gdp per capita growth in South Korea peaked at 13.0% in 1973 and was at its lowest, -5.6%, in 1998.
South Korea ranks 143rd of 215 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.
GDP per capita growth (annual %) (Country official) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.8% | — |
| 1962 | 1.0% | -73.8% |
| 1963 | 6.0% | +506.2% |
| 1964 | 6.6% | +9.7% |
| 1965 | 4.6% | -30.0% |
| 1966 | 9.2% | +99.7% |
| 1967 | 6.6% | -28.1% |
| 1968 | 10.6% | +60.2% |
| 1969 | 12.0% | +13.2% |
| 1970 | 7.8% | -35.3% |
| 1971 | 8.5% | +9.0% |
| 1972 | 5.3% | -37.1% |
| 1973 | 13.0% | +142.6% |
| 1974 | 7.8% | -39.9% |
| 1975 | 6.1% | -21.3% |
| 1976 | 11.5% | +87.1% |
| 1977 | 10.6% | -7.2% |
| 1978 | 9.4% | -11.7% |
| 1979 | 7.1% | -24.4% |
| 1980 | -3.0% | -142.9% |
| 1981 | 5.7% | -288.4% |
| 1982 | 6.8% | +18.5% |
| 1983 | 11.8% | +73.5% |
| 1984 | 9.3% | -21.4% |
| 1985 | 6.9% | -25.8% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | +51.1% |
| 1987 | 11.8% | +13.3% |
| 1988 | 11.0% | -6.3% |
| 1989 | 6.1% | -44.7% |
| 1990 | 8.9% | +46.4% |
| 1991 | 9.8% | +9.4% |
| 1992 | 5.3% | -46.3% |
| 1993 | 5.9% | +12.6% |
| 1994 | 8.3% | +40.0% |
| 1995 | 8.6% | +4.4% |
| 1996 | 7.0% | -19.3% |
| 1997 | 5.3% | -24.1% |
| 1998 | -5.6% | -206.3% |
| 1999 | 10.8% | -292.6% |
| 2000 | 8.3% | -23.4% |
| 2001 | 3.9% | -52.7% |
| 2002 | 7.1% | +81.5% |
| 2003 | 2.5% | -64.3% |
| 2004 | 4.8% | +87.6% |
| 2005 | 4.1% | -13.2% |
| 2006 | 4.7% | +13.5% |
| 2007 | 5.3% | +13.1% |
| 2008 | 2.2% | -58.1% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | -86.4% |
| 2010 | 6.4% | +2033.7% |
| 2011 | 2.9% | -55.1% |
| 2012 | 2.0% | -30.5% |
| 2013 | 2.8% | +40.4% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | -9.0% |
| 2015 | 2.4% | -7.4% |
| 2016 | 2.8% | +16.1% |
| 2017 | 3.1% | +13.8% |
| 2018 | 2.7% | -13.1% |
| 2019 | 2.0% | -28.3% |
| 2020 | -0.8% | -142.7% |
| 2021 | 4.7% | -667.2% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | -38.5% |
| 2023 | 1.5% | -48.5% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | +28.2% |
| 2025 | 1.1% | -41.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.7%, 67% of the median. (83 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.4%, 33% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where GDP per capita growth (annual %) (Country official) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | +2033.7% | 0.3% | 6.4% |
| 2021 | +667.2% | -0.8% | 4.7% |
| 1963 | +506.2% | 1.0% | 6.0% |
| 1999 | +292.6% | -5.6% | 10.8% |
| 1981 | +288.4% | -3.0% | 5.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.7% | 1.0% | 12.0% | 9 |
| 1970s | 8.7% | 5.3% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.7% | -3.0% | 11.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.4% | -5.6% | 10.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.3% | 0.3% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.0% | 2.0% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | -0.8% | 4.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 140 Solomon Islands 1.2% compare
- 141 Mauritania 1.2% compare
- 142 Venezuela 1.2% compare
- 144 Russia 1.1% compare
- 145 United Kingdom 1.1% compare
- 146 Central African Republic 1.0% compare
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 gdp per capita growth in South Korea?
- Gdp per capita growth in South Korea was 1.1% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest gdp per capita growth recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 13.0% in 1973.
- What is the lowest gdp per capita growth recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -5.6% in 1998.
- How does South Korea rank for gdp per capita growth?
- South Korea ranks 143rd out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gdp per capita growth rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.2%. 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 GDP per capita growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Gross domestic product is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period. It can be measured in three different ways: using either the expenditure approach, the income approach, or the production approach. The core indicator has been divided by the general population to achieve a per capita estimate.This indicator denotes the percentage change over each previous year of the constant price (base year 2015) series in United States dollars.