Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP (current) in South Korea
South Korea: Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP (current) was 1,348 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 2025. ▲ Rising
Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP in South Korea, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current LCU per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, gross national expenditure (current lcu), per unit of gdp in South Korea stood at 1,348 current LCU per US$ of GDP. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.1% on the previous year and up 27.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross national expenditure (current lcu), per unit of gdp in South Korea peaked at 1,348 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 2025 and was at its lowest, 69.22 current LCU per US$ of GDP, in 1960.
That places South Korea 20th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP (current) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | current LCU per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 69.22 current LCU per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1961 | 136.99 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +97.9% |
| 1962 | 144.01 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +5.1% |
| 1963 | 142.9 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -0.8% |
| 1964 | 227.71 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +59.3% |
| 1965 | 285.31 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +25.3% |
| 1966 | 298.05 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +4.5% |
| 1967 | 300.18 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +0.7% |
| 1968 | 311.52 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +3.8% |
| 1969 | 322.38 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +3.5% |
| 1970 | 340.84 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +5.7% |
| 1971 | 383.43 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +12.5% |
| 1972 | 411.47 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +7.3% |
| 1973 | 412.93 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 448.46 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +8.6% |
| 1975 | 525.82 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +17.2% |
| 1976 | 497.77 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -5.3% |
| 1977 | 492.92 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -1.0% |
| 1978 | 504.51 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +2.4% |
| 1979 | 518.99 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 660.34 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +27.2% |
| 1981 | 730.43 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +10.6% |
| 1982 | 771.67 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 793.3 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 802.94 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 862.07 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +7.4% |
| 1986 | 850.13 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 770.62 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -9.4% |
| 1988 | 687.65 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -10.8% |
| 1989 | 660.16 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -4.0% |
| 1990 | 713.51 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +8.1% |
| 1991 | 750 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +5.1% |
| 1992 | 785.63 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +4.8% |
| 1993 | 799.18 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 809.11 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 780.33 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -3.6% |
| 1996 | 830.75 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +6.5% |
| 1997 | 960.23 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +15.6% |
| 1998 | 1,257 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +30.9% |
| 1999 | 1,126 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -10.4% |
| 2000 | 1,110 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -1.4% |
| 2001 | 1,274 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +14.7% |
| 2002 | 1,237 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 1,174 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -5.1% |
| 2004 | 1,107 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -5.8% |
| 2005 | 1,002 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -9.4% |
| 2006 | 949.36 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -5.3% |
| 2007 | 921.97 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 1,106 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +20.0% |
| 2009 | 1,227 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +10.9% |
| 2010 | 1,127 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -8.1% |
| 2011 | 1,098 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 1,098 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 1,048 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 1,004 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 1,057 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +5.3% |
| 2016 | 1,087 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 1,080 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 1,054 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -2.4% |
| 2019 | 1,135 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +7.7% |
| 2020 | 1,137 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 1,105 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -2.8% |
| 2022 | 1,291 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +16.8% |
| 2023 | 1,301 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 1,308 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 1,348 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +3.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1,348 current LCU per US$ of GDP is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.04 current LCU per US$ of GDP, 1290.7× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1,348 current LCU per US$ of GDP is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 6.99 current LCU per US$ of GDP, 192.8× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP (current) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | +97.9% | 69.22 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 136.99 current LCU per US$ of GDP |
| 1964 | +59.3% | 142.9 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 227.71 current LCU per US$ of GDP |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 223.83 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 69.22 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 322.38 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1970s | 453.71 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 340.84 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 525.82 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1980s | 758.93 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 660.16 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 862.07 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 881.2 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 713.51 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1,257 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,111 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 921.97 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1,274 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,079 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1,004 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1,135 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,248 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1,105 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1,348 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 17 Sudan 2,217 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 18 Malawi 2,068 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 19 Rwanda 1,622 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 21 Argentina 1,254 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 22 Iraq 1,140 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 23 Chile 911.92 current LCU per US$ of GDP 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 gross national expenditure (current lcu), per unit of gdp in South Korea?
- Gross national expenditure (current lcu), per unit of gdp in South Korea was 1,348 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest gross national expenditure (current lcu), per unit of gdp recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1,348 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 2025.
- What is the lowest gross national expenditure (current lcu), per unit of gdp recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 69.22 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 1960.
- How does South Korea rank for gross national expenditure (current lcu), per unit of gdp?
- South Korea ranks 20th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gross national expenditure (current lcu), per unit of gdp rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Gross national expenditure (current LCU), per unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Gross national expenditure (current LCU) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Gross national expenditure (current LCU) ÷ GDP (current US$)
Computed from
- Gross national expenditure Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
- 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 national expenditure (current LCU) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.