Government spending vs. GDP, annual growth rate in South Korea
South Korea: Government spending vs. GDP, annual growth rate was 2.96 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
2.96 % change on previous year
Change on year
up 37.9%
World rank
73rd
of 166 countries
All-time high
11.94 % change on previous year
in 1980
All-time low
0.0318 % change on previous year
in 1964
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Government spending vs. GDP, annual growth rate in South Korea, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 2.96 % change on previous year for government spending vs. gdp, annual growth rate in 2025.
That represents a change of up 37.9% on the previous year and down 24.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending vs. gdp, annual growth rate in South Korea peaked at 11.94 % change on previous year in 1980 and was at its lowest, 0.0318 % change on previous year, in 1964.
That places South Korea 73rd out of 166 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Government spending vs. GDP, annual growth rate in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.5732 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 4.04 % change on previous year | +605.6% |
| 1963 | 5.62 % change on previous year | +38.9% |
| 1964 | 0.0318 % change on previous year | -99.4% |
| 1965 | 6.49 % change on previous year | +20301.4% |
| 1966 | 11.49 % change on previous year | +77.2% |
| 1967 | 9.33 % change on previous year | -18.8% |
| 1968 | 10.62 % change on previous year | +13.8% |
| 1969 | 10.59 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 7.24 % change on previous year | -31.6% |
| 1971 | 8.56 % change on previous year | +18.2% |
| 1972 | 8.1 % change on previous year | -5.3% |
| 1973 | 2.19 % change on previous year | -73.0% |
| 1974 | 7.21 % change on previous year | +229.2% |
| 1975 | 6.84 % change on previous year | -5.2% |
| 1976 | 0.5245 % change on previous year | -92.3% |
| 1977 | 6.87 % change on previous year | +1210.6% |
| 1978 | 5.55 % change on previous year | -19.3% |
| 1979 | 5.76 % change on previous year | +3.8% |
| 1980 | 11.94 % change on previous year | +107.2% |
| 1981 | 6.67 % change on previous year | -44.1% |
| 1982 | 2.14 % change on previous year | -67.9% |
| 1983 | 3.6 % change on previous year | +68.5% |
| 1984 | 4.77 % change on previous year | +32.3% |
| 1985 | 3.31 % change on previous year | -30.7% |
| 1986 | 5.23 % change on previous year | +58.2% |
| 1987 | 7.18 % change on previous year | +37.3% |
| 1988 | 8.43 % change on previous year | +17.5% |
| 1989 | 11.26 % change on previous year | +33.6% |
| 1990 | 10.37 % change on previous year | -7.9% |
| 1991 | 4.81 % change on previous year | -53.6% |
| 1992 | 6.23 % change on previous year | +29.5% |
| 1993 | 4.1 % change on previous year | -34.3% |
| 1994 | 3.29 % change on previous year | -19.6% |
| 1995 | 3.79 % change on previous year | +15.1% |
| 1996 | 6.91 % change on previous year | +82.2% |
| 1997 | 2.41 % change on previous year | -65.2% |
| 1998 | 4.01 % change on previous year | +66.6% |
| 1999 | 4.9 % change on previous year | +22.2% |
| 2000 | 0.3862 % change on previous year | -92.1% |
| 2001 | 5.98 % change on previous year | +1449.0% |
| 2002 | 6.36 % change on previous year | +6.3% |
| 2003 | 4.94 % change on previous year | -22.3% |
| 2004 | 4.44 % change on previous year | -10.2% |
| 2005 | 5.44 % change on previous year | +22.4% |
| 2006 | 7.54 % change on previous year | +38.7% |
| 2007 | 6.27 % change on previous year | -16.9% |
| 2008 | 4.72 % change on previous year | -24.7% |
| 2009 | 6.65 % change on previous year | +41.1% |
| 2010 | 5.65 % change on previous year | -15.0% |
| 2011 | 2.91 % change on previous year | -48.6% |
| 2012 | 4.66 % change on previous year | +60.2% |
| 2013 | 4.87 % change on previous year | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 4.34 % change on previous year | -10.9% |
| 2015 | 3.91 % change on previous year | -9.9% |
| 2016 | 4.29 % change on previous year | +9.7% |
| 2017 | 3.72 % change on previous year | -13.4% |
| 2018 | 5.45 % change on previous year | +46.6% |
| 2019 | 6.42 % change on previous year | +17.8% |
| 2020 | 5.22 % change on previous year | -18.7% |
| 2021 | 5.64 % change on previous year | +8.1% |
| 2022 | 4.05 % change on previous year | -28.2% |
| 2023 | 1.94 % change on previous year | -52.1% |
| 2024 | 2.15 % change on previous year | +10.8% |
| 2025 | 2.96 % change on previous year | +37.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 2.96 % change on previous year is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.7 % change on previous year, 1.7× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 2.96 % change on previous year is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.04 % change on previous year, 1.5× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Government spending vs. GDP, annual growth rate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | +20301.4% | 0.0318 % change on previous year | 6.49 % change on previous year |
| 2001 | +1449.0% | 0.3862 % change on previous year | 5.98 % change on previous year |
| 1977 | +1210.6% | 0.5245 % change on previous year | 6.87 % change on previous year |
| 1962 | +605.6% | 0.5732 % change on previous year | 4.04 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.53 % change on previous year | 0.0318 % change on previous year | 11.49 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.89 % change on previous year | 0.5245 % change on previous year | 8.56 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.45 % change on previous year | 2.14 % change on previous year | 11.94 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.08 % change on previous year | 2.41 % change on previous year | 10.37 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.27 % change on previous year | 0.3862 % change on previous year | 7.54 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.62 % change on previous year | 2.91 % change on previous year | 6.42 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.66 % change on previous year | 1.94 % change on previous year | 5.64 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 70 Serbia 3.15 % change on previous year compare
- 71 Chile 3.05 % change on previous year compare
- 72 Macao 3.02 % change on previous year compare
- 74 Mozambique 2.86 % change on previous year compare
- 75 Costa Rica 2.85 % change on previous year compare
- 76 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2.82 % change on previous year 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 government spending vs. gdp, annual growth rate in South Korea?
- Government spending vs. gdp, annual growth rate in South Korea was 2.96 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest government spending vs. gdp, annual growth rate recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 11.94 % change on previous year in 1980.
- What is the lowest government spending vs. gdp, annual growth rate recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0318 % change on previous year in 1964.
- How does South Korea rank for government spending vs. gdp, annual growth rate?
- South Korea ranks 73rd out of 166 countries with data for 2025.
- Is government spending vs. gdp, annual growth rate rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Government spending vs. GDP, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Government spending vs. GDP. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Government spending vs. GDP National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Government spending vs. GDP. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.