R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Korea

Korea: R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity was 459,405 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
459,405 Persons (full-time equivalent)
Change on year
up 0.4%
Rank
2nd
of 12 groups
All-time high
459,405 Persons (full-time equivalent)
in 2023
All-time low
153,400 Persons (full-time equivalent)
in 2005
Years of data
19
2005–2023

R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Korea, 2005–2023

200.0k300.0k400.0k500.0k2005201420232005: 153.4k Persons (full-time equivalent)2006: 171.6k Persons (full-time equivalent)2007: 184.6k Persons (full-time equivalent)2008: 208.4k Persons (full-time equivalent)2009: 212.3k Persons (full-time equivalent)2010: 230.2k Persons (full-time equivalent)2011: 254.3k Persons (full-time equivalent)2012: 281.5k Persons (full-time equivalent)2013: 288.8k Persons (full-time equivalent)2014: 314.0k Persons (full-time equivalent)2015: 323.7k Persons (full-time equivalent)2016: 328.9k Persons (full-time equivalent)2017: 355.6k Persons (full-time equivalent)2018: 383.3k Persons (full-time equivalent)2019: 405.2k Persons (full-time equivalent)2020: 416.9k Persons (full-time equivalent)2021: 445.8k Persons (full-time equivalent)2022: 457.4k Persons (full-time equivalent)2023: 459.4k Persons (full-time equivalent)

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons (full-time equivalent).

Analysis

Korea recorded 459,405 Persons (full-time equivalent) for r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in 2023. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 59.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Korea peaked at 459,405 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2023 and was at its lowest, 153,400 Persons (full-time equivalent), in 2005.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.

R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Korea, year by year

Annual values for R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity — R&D Personnel (total economy) in Korea, 2005 to 2023.
Year Persons (full-time equivalent) Change
2005 153,400 Persons (full-time equivalent)
2006 171,643 Persons (full-time equivalent) +11.9%
2007 184,607 Persons (full-time equivalent) +7.6%
2008 208,428 Persons (full-time equivalent) +12.9%
2009 212,349 Persons (full-time equivalent) +1.9%
2010 230,221 Persons (full-time equivalent) +8.4%
2011 254,280 Persons (full-time equivalent) +10.5%
2012 281,523 Persons (full-time equivalent) +10.7%
2013 288,758 Persons (full-time equivalent) +2.6%
2014 314,019 Persons (full-time equivalent) +8.7%
2015 323,652 Persons (full-time equivalent) +3.1%
2016 328,948 Persons (full-time equivalent) +1.6%
2017 355,601 Persons (full-time equivalent) +8.1%
2018 383,322 Persons (full-time equivalent) +7.8%
2019 405,212 Persons (full-time equivalent) +5.7%
2020 416,895 Persons (full-time equivalent) +2.9%
2021 445,823 Persons (full-time equivalent) +6.9%
2022 457,357 Persons (full-time equivalent) +2.6%
2023 459,405 Persons (full-time equivalent) +0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 186,085 Persons (full-time equivalent) 153,400 Persons (full-time equivalent) 212,349 Persons (full-time equivalent) 5
2010s 316,554 Persons (full-time equivalent) 230,221 Persons (full-time equivalent) 405,212 Persons (full-time equivalent) 10
2020s 444,870 Persons (full-time equivalent) 416,895 Persons (full-time equivalent) 459,405 Persons (full-time equivalent) 4

Countries ranked near Korea

  1. 1 Japan 626,709 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  2. 2 Germany 543,452 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  3. 3 France 311,701 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  4. 3 United Kingdom 231,234 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  5. 4 Türkiye 190,341 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  6. 4 Chinese Taipei 243,658 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  7. 5 Canada 200,300 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare
  8. 5 Netherlands 140,132 Persons (full-time equivalent) compare

See the full ranking of 40 places →

More economy & growth data for Korea

All data for Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Korea?
R&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Korea was 459,405 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity recorded in Korea?
The highest recorded value was 459,405 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2023.
What is the lowest r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity recorded in Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 153,400 Persons (full-time equivalent) in 2005.
How does Korea rank for r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity?
Korea ranks 2nd out of 12 groups with data for 2023.
Is r&d personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity rising or falling in Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 59.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Korea data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity — R&D Personnel (total economy). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity in Korea. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 16 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/r-and-d-personnel-in-the-business-enterprise-sector-by-main-activity-r-and-d-personnel/korea/

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About this data

Indicator
R&D personnel in the business enterprise sector by main activity — R&D Personnel (total economy)
Unit
Persons (full-time equivalent)
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
40 places, 587 data points, 2000–2023
Last refreshed

This table presents research and development (R&D) statistics on personnel in the business enterprise sector. Measured in full-time equivalent are the number of total R&D personnel and researchers in the business enterprise sector by industry according to the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) revision 4. Data at the industry level are presented from 2000, first year from which some countries converted their data from ISIC rev.3.1 to the current ISIC rev. 4 classification.