Gross domestic product (GDP), per unit of GDP in South Korea
South Korea: Gross domestic product (GDP), per unit of GDP was 1.54 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP in 2025. ▼ Falling
Gross domestic product (GDP), per unit of GDP in South Korea, 1990–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 1.54 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP for gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 3.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp in South Korea peaked at 2.56 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP in 1998 and was at its lowest, 1.38 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP, in 2021.
South Korea ranks 127th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Gross domestic product (GDP), per unit of GDP in South Korea, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2.11 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1991 | 2 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -5.0% |
| 1992 | 1.98 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 1.92 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -3.2% |
| 1994 | 1.77 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -7.4% |
| 1995 | 1.59 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -10.3% |
| 1996 | 1.6 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 1.82 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +13.9% |
| 1998 | 2.56 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +41.0% |
| 1999 | 2.2 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -14.0% |
| 2000 | 2.08 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -5.7% |
| 2001 | 2.29 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +10.2% |
| 2002 | 2.15 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -5.9% |
| 2003 | 1.98 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -8.0% |
| 2004 | 1.84 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -6.9% |
| 2005 | 1.63 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -11.6% |
| 2006 | 1.52 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -6.6% |
| 2007 | 1.45 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -5.1% |
| 2008 | 1.67 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +15.2% |
| 2009 | 1.86 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +11.9% |
| 2010 | 1.64 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -11.8% |
| 2011 | 1.56 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -5.4% |
| 2012 | 1.56 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 1.5 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 1.43 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -4.8% |
| 2015 | 1.49 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 1.49 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 1.43 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 1.38 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 1.47 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +6.6% |
| 2020 | 1.47 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 1.38 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -6.1% |
| 2022 | 1.53 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +10.9% |
| 2023 | 1.51 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 1.52 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 1.54 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | +1.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1.54 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.24 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP, 1.2× the median. (74 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1.54 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.48 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP, 1.0× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gross domestic product (GDP), per unit of GDP 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 | +41.0% | 1.82 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 2.56 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.96 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 1.59 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 2.56 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.85 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 1.45 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 2.29 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 1.38 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 1.64 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.49 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 1.38 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 1.54 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 124 Seychelles 1.58 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP compare
- 125 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.55 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP compare
- 126 Macao 1.54 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP compare
- 128 Qatar 1.52 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP compare
- 129 Grenada 1.51 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP compare
- 130 Kuwait 1.49 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP 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 gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp in South Korea?
- Gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp in South Korea was 1.54 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.56 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP in 1998.
- What is the lowest gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.38 international-$ in 2021 prices per US$ of GDP in 2021.
- How does South Korea rank for gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp?
- South Korea ranks 127th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gross domestic product (gdp), per unit of gdp rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.4%. 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 Gross domestic product (GDP), per unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Gross domestic product (GDP) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Gross domestic product (GDP) ÷ GDP (current US$)
Computed from
- Gross domestic product (GDP) Eurostat, OECD, IMF, and World Bank (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- GDP Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
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
Gross domestic product (GDP) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.