Gross national expenditure (current US$) in South Korea
South Korea: Gross national expenditure (current US$) was 1.78 trillion current US$ in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Gross national expenditure in South Korea, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gross national expenditure in South Korea is 1.78 trillion current US$, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.4% on the previous year and up 23.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gross national expenditure in South Korea peaked at 1.88 trillion current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.66 billion current US$, in 1961.
South Korea ranks 15th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Gross national expenditure (current US$) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 4.36 billion current US$ | — |
| 1961 | 2.66 billion current US$ | -38.8% |
| 1962 | 3.13 billion current US$ | +17.5% |
| 1963 | 4.41 billion current US$ | +40.7% |
| 1964 | 3.70 billion current US$ | -16.0% |
| 1965 | 3.36 billion current US$ | -9.1% |
| 1966 | 4.35 billion current US$ | +29.2% |
| 1967 | 5.43 billion current US$ | +25.0% |
| 1968 | 6.94 billion current US$ | +27.9% |
| 1969 | 8.66 billion current US$ | +24.8% |
| 1970 | 9.97 billion current US$ | +15.1% |
| 1971 | 11.05 billion current US$ | +10.8% |
| 1972 | 11.51 billion current US$ | +4.2% |
| 1973 | 14.58 billion current US$ | +26.7% |
| 1974 | 22.02 billion current US$ | +51.0% |
| 1975 | 24.04 billion current US$ | +9.2% |
| 1976 | 31.23 billion current US$ | +29.9% |
| 1977 | 39.78 billion current US$ | +27.4% |
| 1978 | 55.06 billion current US$ | +38.4% |
| 1979 | 73.01 billion current US$ | +32.6% |
| 1980 | 72.34 billion current US$ | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 79.68 billion current US$ | +10.1% |
| 1982 | 84.36 billion current US$ | +5.9% |
| 1983 | 91.65 billion current US$ | +8.6% |
| 1984 | 99.37 billion current US$ | +8.4% |
| 1985 | 102.81 billion current US$ | +3.5% |
| 1986 | 115.70 billion current US$ | +12.5% |
| 1987 | 142.62 billion current US$ | +23.3% |
| 1988 | 193.17 billion current US$ | +35.4% |
| 1989 | 249.96 billion current US$ | +29.4% |
| 1990 | 294.43 billion current US$ | +17.8% |
| 1991 | 348.59 billion current US$ | +18.4% |
| 1992 | 369.26 billion current US$ | +5.9% |
| 1993 | 403.94 billion current US$ | +9.4% |
| 1994 | 482.56 billion current US$ | +19.5% |
| 1995 | 593.17 billion current US$ | +22.9% |
| 1996 | 651.83 billion current US$ | +9.9% |
| 1997 | 594.74 billion current US$ | -8.8% |
| 1998 | 356.40 billion current US$ | -40.1% |
| 1999 | 488.49 billion current US$ | +37.1% |
| 2000 | 586.64 billion current US$ | +20.1% |
| 2001 | 560.10 billion current US$ | -4.5% |
| 2002 | 642.87 billion current US$ | +14.8% |
| 2003 | 717.88 billion current US$ | +11.7% |
| 2004 | 795.45 billion current US$ | +10.8% |
| 2005 | 950.93 billion current US$ | +19.5% |
| 2006 | 1.09 trillion current US$ | +14.5% |
| 2007 | 1.21 trillion current US$ | +11.2% |
| 2008 | 1.10 trillion current US$ | -9.6% |
| 2009 | 944.28 billion current US$ | -13.8% |
| 2010 | 1.16 trillion current US$ | +23.1% |
| 2011 | 1.30 trillion current US$ | +11.4% |
| 2012 | 1.30 trillion current US$ | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 1.37 trillion current US$ | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 1.48 trillion current US$ | +8.1% |
| 2015 | 1.44 trillion current US$ | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 1.48 trillion current US$ | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 1.63 trillion current US$ | +10.4% |
| 2018 | 1.75 trillion current US$ | +7.0% |
| 2019 | 1.70 trillion current US$ | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 1.68 trillion current US$ | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 1.88 trillion current US$ | +11.7% |
| 2022 | 1.80 trillion current US$ | -4.1% |
| 2023 | 1.84 trillion current US$ | +2.1% |
| 2024 | 1.80 trillion current US$ | -2.1% |
| 2025 | 1.78 trillion current US$ | -1.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1.78 trillion current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 195.11 billion current US$, 9.1× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1.78 trillion current US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 24.74 billion current US$, 71.7× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.70 billion current US$ | 2.66 billion current US$ | 8.66 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 29.23 billion current US$ | 9.97 billion current US$ | 73.01 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 123.17 billion current US$ | 72.34 billion current US$ | 249.96 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 458.34 billion current US$ | 294.43 billion current US$ | 651.83 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 859.40 billion current US$ | 560.10 billion current US$ | 1.21 trillion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.46 trillion current US$ | 1.16 trillion current US$ | 1.75 trillion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.79 trillion current US$ | 1.68 trillion current US$ | 1.88 trillion current US$ | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
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 in South Korea?
- Gross national expenditure in South Korea was 1.78 trillion current US$ in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest gross national expenditure recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1.88 trillion current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest gross national expenditure recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.66 billion current US$ in 1961.
- How does South Korea rank for gross national expenditure?
- South Korea ranks 15th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is gross national expenditure rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of Gross national expenditure (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Gross national expenditure is the sum of household final consumption expenditure, general government final consumption expenditure, and gross capital formation. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.