Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in South Korea
South Korea: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP was 37.2% in 2014. ▲ Rising
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in South Korea, 1911–2014
Source: Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for value of imported goods as a share of gdp in South Korea is 37.2%, measured in 2014.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.7% on the previous year and up 26.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in South Korea peaked at 43.6% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 1950.
South Korea ranks 103rd of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 92 years of available data.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1911 | 10.0% | — |
| 1912 | 12.6% | +26.4% |
| 1913 | 12.4% | -1.8% |
| 1914 | 11.5% | -7.1% |
| 1915 | 10.6% | -7.9% |
| 1916 | 12.2% | +15.0% |
| 1917 | 12.4% | +1.8% |
| 1918 | 12.9% | +3.7% |
| 1919 | 15.7% | +22.2% |
| 1920 | 14.3% | -9.4% |
| 1921 | 14.0% | -1.8% |
| 1922 | 16.2% | +15.5% |
| 1923 | 15.5% | -3.9% |
| 1924 | 16.9% | +8.6% |
| 1925 | 18.0% | +6.7% |
| 1926 | 19.4% | +8.0% |
| 1927 | 20.1% | +3.5% |
| 1928 | 21.9% | +8.8% |
| 1929 | 23.6% | +7.9% |
| 1930 | 24.2% | +2.4% |
| 1931 | 19.2% | -20.6% |
| 1932 | 22.2% | +15.6% |
| 1933 | 24.1% | +8.4% |
| 1934 | 27.3% | +13.4% |
| 1935 | 30.4% | +11.2% |
| 1936 | 30.7% | +1.0% |
| 1937 | 32.0% | +4.0% |
| 1950 | 2.6% | -91.8% |
| 1951 | 4.7% | +81.6% |
| 1952 | 7.3% | +54.8% |
| 1953 | 10.9% | +48.3% |
| 1954 | 5.8% | -46.8% |
| 1955 | 15.0% | +159.5% |
| 1956 | 15.4% | +2.4% |
| 1957 | 14.9% | -3.3% |
| 1958 | 13.7% | -8.2% |
| 1959 | 9.6% | -29.7% |
| 1960 | 11.0% | +14.8% |
| 1961 | 18.1% | +64.3% |
| 1962 | 17.4% | -4.1% |
| 1963 | 14.5% | -16.8% |
| 1964 | 12.5% | -13.2% |
| 1965 | 17.4% | +39.0% |
| 1966 | 21.3% | +22.2% |
| 1967 | 21.8% | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 24.7% | +13.1% |
| 1969 | 25.4% | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 21.1% | -17.1% |
| 1971 | 23.0% | +9.0% |
| 1972 | 22.2% | -3.5% |
| 1973 | 29.2% | +31.5% |
| 1974 | 33.5% | +15.0% |
| 1975 | 31.9% | -4.9% |
| 1976 | 27.7% | -13.1% |
| 1977 | 26.8% | -3.2% |
| 1978 | 27.6% | +2.8% |
| 1979 | 28.9% | +4.9% |
| 1980 | 32.5% | +12.5% |
| 1981 | 34.3% | +5.4% |
| 1982 | 29.7% | -13.4% |
| 1983 | 28.9% | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 30.6% | +5.9% |
| 1985 | 29.9% | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 26.5% | -11.5% |
| 1987 | 27.2% | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 25.6% | -5.7% |
| 1989 | 24.2% | -5.5% |
| 1990 | 26.1% | +8.0% |
| 1991 | 24.6% | -5.8% |
| 1992 | 23.3% | -5.4% |
| 1993 | 22.1% | -5.1% |
| 1994 | 22.3% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 24.2% | +8.3% |
| 1996 | 24.9% | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 25.8% | +3.7% |
| 1998 | 24.8% | -3.9% |
| 1999 | 24.6% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 28.6% | +16.1% |
| 2001 | 26.5% | -7.4% |
| 2002 | 25.0% | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 26.3% | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 29.3% | +11.7% |
| 2005 | 29.1% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 30.6% | +5.1% |
| 2007 | 31.8% | +3.9% |
| 2008 | 43.4% | +36.6% |
| 2009 | 35.8% | -17.5% |
| 2010 | 38.8% | +8.5% |
| 2011 | 43.6% | +12.2% |
| 2012 | 42.5% | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 39.5% | -7.1% |
| 2014 | 37.2% | -5.7% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 37.2% is below the median for high income countries, which is 38.0%, 98% of the median. (67 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 37.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 50.8%, 73% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Value of imported goods as a share 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | +159.5% | 5.8% | 15.0% |
| 1950 | -91.8% | 32.0% | 2.6% |
| 1951 | +81.6% | 2.6% | 4.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 12.3% | 10.0% | 15.7% | 9 |
| 1920s | 18.0% | 14.0% | 23.6% | 10 |
| 1930s | 26.3% | 19.2% | 32.0% | 8 |
| 1950s | 10.0% | 2.6% | 15.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 18.4% | 11.0% | 25.4% | 10 |
| 1970s | 27.2% | 21.1% | 33.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 29.0% | 24.2% | 34.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 24.3% | 22.1% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 30.6% | 25.0% | 43.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.3% | 37.2% | 43.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
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 value of imported goods as a share of gdp in South Korea?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in South Korea was 37.2% in 2014, according to Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 43.6% in 2011.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 1950.
- How does South Korea rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- South Korea ranks 103rd out of 193 countries with data for 2014.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Fouquin and Hugot (2016) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Value of imported goods as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 92 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimates correspond to merchandise import-to-GDP ratios for countries and regions. All ratios are taken at current prices. See source for more details.