Imports of goods and services in Korea
Korea: Imports of goods and services was 40.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Imports of goods and services in Korea, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Korea recorded 40.6% for imports of goods and services in 2025.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 18.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imports of goods and services in Korea peaked at 50.4% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 11.9%, in 1960.
Korea ranks 108th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Imports of goods and services in Korea, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 11.9% | — |
| 1961 | 13.9% | +16.6% |
| 1962 | 15.5% | +11.8% |
| 1963 | 14.6% | -6.1% |
| 1964 | 12.3% | -15.5% |
| 1965 | 14.2% | +15.5% |
| 1966 | 18.1% | +27.1% |
| 1967 | 19.5% | +7.9% |
| 1968 | 22.5% | +15.1% |
| 1969 | 22.3% | -0.9% |
| 1970 | 20.9% | -5.9% |
| 1971 | 22.8% | +8.8% |
| 1972 | 21.2% | -7.0% |
| 1973 | 27.3% | +28.7% |
| 1974 | 32.8% | +20.1% |
| 1975 | 30.9% | -5.9% |
| 1976 | 27.9% | -9.5% |
| 1977 | 27.4% | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 28.8% | +4.8% |
| 1979 | 30.4% | +5.6% |
| 1980 | 36.5% | +20.1% |
| 1981 | 36.6% | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 32.3% | -11.8% |
| 1983 | 29.4% | -8.7% |
| 1984 | 27.9% | -5.4% |
| 1985 | 25.2% | -9.5% |
| 1986 | 27.4% | +8.8% |
| 1987 | 27.4% | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 25.5% | -7.0% |
| 1989 | 24.9% | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 25.0% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 25.3% | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 23.9% | -5.4% |
| 1993 | 22.6% | -5.8% |
| 1994 | 24.2% | +7.4% |
| 1995 | 26.3% | +8.5% |
| 1996 | 27.5% | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 28.4% | +3.5% |
| 1998 | 28.1% | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 26.4% | -6.1% |
| 2000 | 31.2% | +18.2% |
| 2001 | 29.6% | -5.2% |
| 2002 | 27.8% | -6.0% |
| 2003 | 29.0% | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 32.3% | +11.5% |
| 2005 | 32.0% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 33.9% | +5.9% |
| 2007 | 35.3% | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 46.2% | +31.0% |
| 2009 | 39.6% | -14.3% |
| 2010 | 42.8% | +7.9% |
| 2011 | 50.4% | +17.9% |
| 2012 | 49.5% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 44.9% | -9.2% |
| 2014 | 41.1% | -8.4% |
| 2015 | 34.4% | -16.3% |
| 2016 | 31.8% | -7.7% |
| 2017 | 34.3% | +8.0% |
| 2018 | 35.3% | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 34.4% | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 30.9% | -10.1% |
| 2021 | 36.0% | +16.3% |
| 2022 | 45.3% | +25.9% |
| 2023 | 40.9% | -9.6% |
| 2024 | 40.3% | -1.6% |
| 2025 | 40.6% | +0.8% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 40.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 51.2%, 79% of the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Korea's 40.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 63.3%, 64% of the median. (34 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 16.5% | 11.9% | 22.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 27.0% | 20.9% | 32.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.3% | 24.9% | 36.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.8% | 22.6% | 28.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 33.7% | 27.8% | 46.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 39.9% | 31.8% | 50.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.0% | 30.9% | 45.3% | 6 |
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 imports of goods and services in Korea?
- Imports of goods and services in Korea was 40.6% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest imports of goods and services recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 50.4% in 2011.
- What is the lowest imports of goods and services recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.9% in 1960.
- How does Korea rank for imports of goods and services?
- Korea ranks 108th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is imports of goods and services rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Imports of goods includes change in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Imports of services includes services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.