Social spending as share of GDP in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Social spending as share of GDP was 0.9% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Social spending as share of GDP in Republic of Korea, 1990–2022
Source: OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Republic of Korea recorded 0.9% for social spending as share of gdp in 2022.
The figure is down 35.0% on the previous year and up 123.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, social spending as share of gdp in Republic of Korea peaked at 1.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1994.
That places Republic of Korea 10th out of 42 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Social spending as share of GDP in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.2% | — |
| 1991 | 0.1% | -16.8% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | -14.9% |
| 1993 | 0.1% | -3.5% |
| 1994 | 0.1% | -14.5% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | +6.4% |
| 1996 | 0.1% | +14.0% |
| 1997 | 0.1% | +14.9% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | +19.8% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | +51.6% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.3% | +45.8% |
| 2002 | 0.4% | +5.2% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | -7.3% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | +18.5% |
| 2006 | 0.5% | +13.4% |
| 2007 | 0.5% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 0.4% | -8.7% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | +15.4% |
| 2010 | 0.4% | -18.6% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | +6.9% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | +6.0% |
| 2014 | 0.4% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 0.5% | +7.4% |
| 2016 | 0.5% | -5.6% |
| 2017 | 0.5% | +4.4% |
| 2018 | 0.5% | +7.8% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | +34.9% |
| 2020 | 1.7% | +154.1% |
| 2021 | 1.4% | -18.0% |
| 2022 | 0.9% | -35.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.4% | 0.9% | 1.7% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Republic of Korea
More economy & growth data for Republic of Korea
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 7.46 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 650.96 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (current LCU), per capita 23.58 million current LCU per person (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 4.22 % change on previous year (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.4777 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Exports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 17,305 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate -5.81 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2833 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current US$), per capita 10,263 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross fixed capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 402.98 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is social spending as share of gdp in Republic of Korea?
- Social spending as share of gdp in Republic of Korea was 0.9% in 2022, according to OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest social spending as share of gdp recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest social spending as share of gdp recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1994.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for social spending as share of gdp?
- Republic of Korea ranks 10th out of 42 countries with data for 2022.
- Is social spending as share of gdp rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 123.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Social spending as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Public social expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage. Includes both in-cash and in-kind benefits in other social policy programs.