Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax was 24.5% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in Republic of Korea, 2006–2021
Source: Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in Republic of Korea is 24.5%, measured in 2021.
That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and up 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in Republic of Korea peaked at 25.7% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 21.9%, in 2014.
That places Republic of Korea 19th out of 48 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 22.3% | — |
| 2008 | 22.8% | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 22.5% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 22.3% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 21.9% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 25.7% | +17.0% |
| 2017 | 25.6% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 24.8% | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 24.8% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 24.7% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 24.5% | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22.6% | 22.3% | 22.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 23.9% | 21.9% | 25.7% | 7 |
| 2020s | 24.6% | 24.5% | 24.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Republic of Korea
More economy & growth data for Republic of Korea
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate -0.6343 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.5723 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per capita 20,732 current US$ per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), annual growth rate 3.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 814.03 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), per capita 29.49 million current LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 1.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.5965 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per capita 21,609 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Services, value added (constant LCU), per capita 26.07 million constant LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in Republic of Korea?
- Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax in Republic of Korea was 24.5% in 2021, according to Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest income share of the richest 10% before and after tax recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 25.7% in 2016.
- What is the lowest income share of the richest 10% before and after tax recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.9% in 2014.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for income share of the richest 10% before and after tax?
- Republic of Korea ranks 19th out of 48 countries with data for 2021.
- Is income share of the richest 10% before and after tax rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Luxembourg Income Study (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Income share of the richest 10% before and after tax. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of income received by the richest decile (tenth of the population).