Annual growth of GDP per capita in South Korea
South Korea: Annual growth of GDP per capita was 1.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.1%
Change on year
down 41.0%
World rank
140th
of 212 countries
All-time high
13.0%
in 1973
All-time low
-5.6%
in 1998
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Annual growth of GDP per capita in South Korea, 1961–2025
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 1.1% for annual growth of gdp per capita in 2025.
The figure is down 41.0% on the previous year and down 52.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth of gdp per capita in South Korea peaked at 13.0% in 1973 and was at its lowest, -5.6%, in 1998.
That places South Korea 140th out of 212 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual growth of GDP per capita 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 Annual growth of GDP per capita 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
- 137 Solomon Islands 1.2% compare
- 138 Mauritania 1.2% compare
- 139 Venezuela 1.2% compare
- 141 Russia 1.1% compare
- 142 United Kingdom 1.1% compare
- 143 Central African Republic 1.0% 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 annual growth of gdp per capita in South Korea?
- Annual growth of gdp per capita in South Korea was 1.1% in 2025, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth of gdp per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 13.0% in 1973.
- What is the lowest annual growth of gdp per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -5.6% in 1998.
- How does South Korea rank for annual growth of gdp per capita?
- South Korea ranks 140th out of 212 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth of gdp per capita 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 National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth of GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is adjusted for inflation.