Real gdp growth in Korea
Korea: Real gdp growth was 1.01 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Real gdp growth in Korea, 1980–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, real gdp growth in Korea stood at 1.01.
The figure is down 49.8% on the previous year and down 65.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, real gdp growth in Korea peaked at 13.47 in 1983 and was at its lowest, -4.94, in 1998.
Korea ranks 168th of 196 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Real gdp growth in Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | -1.52 | — |
| 1981 | 7.4 | -585.8% |
| 1982 | 8.47 | +14.4% |
| 1983 | 13.47 | +59.0% |
| 1984 | 10.64 | -21.0% |
| 1985 | 7.94 | -25.4% |
| 1986 | 11.5 | +44.9% |
| 1987 | 12.89 | +12.1% |
| 1988 | 12.13 | -5.9% |
| 1989 | 7.17 | -40.9% |
| 1990 | 10.03 | +39.9% |
| 1991 | 10.88 | +8.5% |
| 1992 | 6.35 | -41.6% |
| 1993 | 7 | +10.1% |
| 1994 | 9.37 | +34.0% |
| 1995 | 9.74 | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 7.99 | -17.9% |
| 1997 | 6.28 | -21.4% |
| 1998 | -4.94 | -178.6% |
| 1999 | 11.62 | -335.2% |
| 2000 | 9.2 | -20.8% |
| 2001 | 4.73 | -48.6% |
| 2002 | 7.74 | +63.9% |
| 2003 | 3.08 | -60.3% |
| 2004 | 5.18 | +68.6% |
| 2005 | 4.36 | -15.9% |
| 2006 | 5.25 | +20.4% |
| 2007 | 5.84 | +11.4% |
| 2008 | 3 | -48.6% |
| 2009 | 0.82 | -72.7% |
| 2010 | 6.98 | +751.5% |
| 2011 | 3.69 | -47.2% |
| 2012 | 2.55 | -30.9% |
| 2013 | 3.29 | +29.2% |
| 2014 | 3.21 | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 2.92 | -9.2% |
| 2016 | 3.17 | +8.6% |
| 2017 | 3.43 | +8.2% |
| 2018 | 3.18 | -7.5% |
| 2019 | 2.31 | -27.1% |
| 2020 | -0.7 | -130.3% |
| 2021 | 4.61 | -759.0% |
| 2022 | 2.73 | -40.9% |
| 2023 | 1.58 | -42.0% |
| 2024 | 2 | +26.6% |
| 2025 | 1.01 | -49.8% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 1.01 is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.4, 42% of the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Korea's 1.01 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.05, 25% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Real gdp growth in 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +759.0% | -0.7 | 4.61 |
| 2010 | +751.5% | 0.82 | 6.98 |
| 1981 | +585.8% | -1.52 | 7.4 |
| 1999 | +335.2% | -4.94 | 11.62 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.01 | -1.52 | 13.47 | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.43 | -4.94 | 11.62 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.92 | 0.82 | 9.2 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.47 | 2.31 | 6.98 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.87 | -0.7 | 4.61 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Korea
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 real gdp growth in Korea?
- Real gdp growth in Korea was 1.01 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest real gdp growth recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 13.47 in 1983.
- What is the lowest real gdp growth recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -4.94 in 1998.
- How does Korea rank for real gdp growth?
- Korea ranks 168th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is real gdp growth rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 65.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Real gdp growth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).