R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector … size in Korea
Korea: R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector … size was 459,405 Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
459,405 Full-time equivalent (FTE)
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
5th
of 54 countries
All-time high
459,405 Full-time equivalent (FTE)
in 2023
All-time low
77,862 Full-time equivalent (FTE)
in 1998
Years of data
29
1995–2023
R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size in Korea, 1995–2023
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Full-time equivalent (FTE).
Analysis
In 2023, r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size in Korea stood at 459,405 Full-time equivalent (FTE). That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 59.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size in Korea peaked at 459,405 Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 2023 and was at its lowest, 77,862 Full-time equivalent (FTE), in 1998.
Korea ranks 5th of 54 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector … size in Korea, year by year
| Year | Full-time equivalent (FTE) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 96,890 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | — |
| 1996 | 89,002 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | -8.1% |
| 1997 | 90,425 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 77,862 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | -13.9% |
| 1999 | 84,070 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +8.0% |
| 2000 | 87,113 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +3.6% |
| 2001 | 117,018 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +34.3% |
| 2002 | 120,717 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +3.2% |
| 2003 | 128,441 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +6.4% |
| 2004 | 132,523 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 153,400 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +15.8% |
| 2006 | 171,643 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +11.9% |
| 2007 | 184,607 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +7.6% |
| 2008 | 208,428 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +12.9% |
| 2009 | 212,349 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 230,221 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +8.4% |
| 2011 | 254,280 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +10.5% |
| 2012 | 281,522 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +10.7% |
| 2013 | 288,758 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 314,019 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +8.7% |
| 2015 | 323,652 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 328,948 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 355,601 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +8.1% |
| 2018 | 383,322 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +7.8% |
| 2019 | 405,212 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +5.7% |
| 2020 | 416,895 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 445,823 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +6.9% |
| 2022 | 457,356 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 459,405 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | +0.4% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 459,405 Full-time equivalent (FTE) is above the median for high income countries, which is 45,135 Full-time equivalent (FTE), 10.2× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 87,650 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 77,862 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 96,890 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 5 |
| 2000s | 151,624 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 87,113 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 212,349 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 10 |
| 2010s | 316,554 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 230,221 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 405,212 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 10 |
| 2020s | 444,870 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 416,895 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 459,405 Full-time equivalent (FTE) | 4 |
Countries ranked near Korea
- 2 United States 1.68 million Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
- 3 Japan 624,673 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
- 4 Germany 554,101 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
- 6 South Korea 416,895 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
- 7 Russia 390,817 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
- 7 Russia 390,817 Full-time equivalent (FTE) compare
More economy & growth data for Korea
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -49.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size in Korea?
- R&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size in Korea was 459,405 Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 2023, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 459,405 Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 2023.
- What is the lowest r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 77,862 Full-time equivalent (FTE) in 1998.
- How does Korea rank for r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size?
- Korea ranks 5th out of 54 countries with data for 2023.
- Is r&d personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 59.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of R&D personnel and researchers in business enterprise sector by size class and sex. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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