Central government revenues as a share of GDP in Korea
Korea: Central government revenues as a share of GDP was 25.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Central government revenues as a share of GDP in Korea, 1972–2024
Source: International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Korea recorded 25.8% for central government revenues as a share of gdp in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.8% on the previous year and up 8.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, central government revenues as a share of gdp in Korea peaked at 29.8% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 11.8%, in 1973.
Korea ranks 75th of 157 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Central government revenues as a share of GDP in Korea, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 12.7% | — |
| 1973 | 11.8% | -7.7% |
| 1974 | 12.6% | +7.2% |
| 1975 | 14.4% | +13.8% |
| 1976 | 15.7% | +9.6% |
| 1977 | 15.5% | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 16.0% | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 16.3% | +2.1% |
| 1980 | 16.7% | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 16.9% | +1.2% |
| 1982 | 16.9% | +0.2% |
| 1983 | 16.4% | -2.8% |
| 1984 | 15.6% | -5.2% |
| 1985 | 15.2% | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 14.9% | -2.3% |
| 1987 | 14.8% | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 15.0% | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 14.9% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 15.2% | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 14.4% | -5.1% |
| 1992 | 15.0% | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 15.3% | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 15.5% | +1.4% |
| 1995 | 15.7% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 16.3% | +4.3% |
| 1997 | 16.2% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 17.1% | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 17.3% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 19.9% | +15.2% |
| 2001 | 19.4% | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 19.1% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 19.4% | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 18.6% | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 18.9% | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 19.7% | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 20.8% | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 20.5% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 19.6% | -4.6% |
| 2010 | 19.3% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 19.8% | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 25.5% | +28.6% |
| 2013 | 24.9% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 23.8% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 23.6% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 24.5% | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 24.9% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 26.0% | +4.5% |
| 2019 | 26.3% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 26.3% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 28.0% | +6.5% |
| 2022 | 29.8% | +6.2% |
| 2023 | 27.4% | -8.1% |
| 2024 | 25.8% | -5.8% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 25.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 33.0%, 78% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- Korea's 25.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 24.8%, 1.0× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Central government revenues as a share of GDP in 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +28.6% | 19.8% | 25.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 14.4% | 11.8% | 16.3% | 8 |
| 1980s | 15.7% | 14.8% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.8% | 14.4% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.6% | 18.6% | 20.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.9% | 19.3% | 26.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.4% | 25.8% | 29.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Korea
More economy & growth data for 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 central government revenues as a share of gdp in Korea?
- Central government revenues as a share of gdp in Korea was 25.8% in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest central government revenues as a share of gdp recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 29.8% in 2022.
- What is the lowest central government revenues as a share of gdp recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.8% in 1973.
- How does Korea rank for central government revenues as a share of gdp?
- Korea ranks 75th out of 157 countries with data for 2024.
- Is central government revenues as a share of gdp rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (IMF) Government Finance Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Central government revenues as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Taxes, social contributions, and other revenues such as fines, fees, rent, and income from property or sales included. Grants excluded.