Transport services in Korea
Korea: Transport services was 19.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Transport services in Korea, 1976–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of service imports, BoP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for transport services in Korea is 19.4%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 50 years on record.
The figure is down 7.3% on the previous year and down 26.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in Korea peaked at 54.1% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 19.4%, in 2025.
That places Korea 152nd out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 50 years of available data.
Transport services in Korea, year by year
| Year | % of service imports, BoP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 51.6% | — |
| 1977 | 42.2% | -18.1% |
| 1978 | 36.3% | -14.0% |
| 1979 | 46.0% | +26.8% |
| 1980 | 54.1% | +17.4% |
| 1981 | 45.1% | -16.6% |
| 1982 | 41.5% | -8.0% |
| 1983 | 41.1% | -1.1% |
| 1984 | 38.5% | -6.3% |
| 1985 | 43.5% | +12.9% |
| 1986 | 46.2% | +6.3% |
| 1987 | 47.8% | +3.4% |
| 1988 | 43.2% | -9.6% |
| 1989 | 38.6% | -10.7% |
| 1990 | 39.3% | +1.9% |
| 1991 | 40.6% | +3.2% |
| 1992 | 41.2% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 42.1% | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 39.1% | -7.2% |
| 1995 | 38.3% | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 35.4% | -7.4% |
| 1997 | 36.2% | +2.1% |
| 1998 | 39.1% | +8.1% |
| 1999 | 38.0% | -2.8% |
| 2000 | 34.2% | -10.0% |
| 2001 | 34.9% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 32.2% | -7.8% |
| 2003 | 34.9% | +8.4% |
| 2004 | 36.0% | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 34.9% | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 33.8% | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 34.9% | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 38.2% | +9.5% |
| 2009 | 29.2% | -23.6% |
| 2010 | 31.3% | +7.3% |
| 2011 | 29.9% | -4.6% |
| 2012 | 28.9% | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 27.6% | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 27.7% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 26.3% | -5.1% |
| 2016 | 25.6% | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 23.9% | -6.8% |
| 2018 | 22.9% | -4.1% |
| 2019 | 22.0% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 21.7% | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 22.9% | +5.4% |
| 2022 | 24.6% | +7.6% |
| 2023 | 21.6% | -12.3% |
| 2024 | 20.9% | -3.0% |
| 2025 | 19.4% | -7.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 44.0% | 36.3% | 51.6% | 4 |
| 1980s | 44.0% | 38.5% | 54.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.9% | 35.4% | 42.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.3% | 29.2% | 38.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.6% | 22.0% | 31.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.8% | 19.4% | 24.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Korea
- 150 New Zealand 19.8% compare
- 151 Ghana 19.8% compare
- 153 Philippines 19.3% compare
- 154 Cyprus 19.2% compare
- 155 Dominica 19.2% compare
More economy & growth data for Korea
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), annual growth rate 3.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2253 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per capita 8,163 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 0.7703 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.1765 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 6,393 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 5.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU), per 251.03 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU), per 9.09 million current LCU per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$) 2.96 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in Korea?
- Transport services in Korea was 19.4% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 54.1% in 1980.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.4% in 2025.
- How does Korea rank for transport services?
- Korea ranks 152nd out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Transport services (% of service imports, BoP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Transport services covers the process of carriage of people and objects from one location to another as well as related supporting and auxiliary services. Also included are postal and courier services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service imports which are services provided by non-residents to residents.