South Korea: economy and key statistics
South Korea is number 13 in the 311 Nations Index, with a GDP of $1.87 trillion in 2025. GDP per person is $36,227. The economy grew by 1.0% in 2025. Unemployment is 2.7%. The economy is 57% services, 34% industry, 1% agriculture. In 311 Institute directories: 153 R&D labs, 15 startups, 11 investors, 2 Titans.
Part of the 311 Nations Index (311institute.com). Last updated .
National power
South Korea is number 9 in the 311 National Power Index, scoring 63.4 out of 100: economic 82, technology 51, military 48 and human capital 75.
Economy at a glance
| Indicator | Latest figure | Year |
|---|---|---|
| GDP | $1.87 trillion | 2025 |
| GDP (purchasing power) | $3.26 trillion | 2025 |
| GDP per person | $36,227 | 2025 |
| Economic growth | +1.0% | 2025 |
| Inflation | 2.1% | 2025 |
| Unemployment | 2.7% | 2025 |
| Population | 51.7 million | 2025 |
| Labour force | 29.9 million | 2025 |
| Services share of GDP | 57% | 2025 |
| Industry share of GDP | 34% | 2025 |
| Manufacturing share of GDP | 27% | 2025 |
| Agriculture share of GDP | 1% | 2025 |
| Exports share of GDP | 46% | 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment | 0.8% of GDP | 2025 |
| High-tech share of manufactured exports | 36% | 2024 |
| R&D spending | 4.94% of GDP | 2023 |
| Internet users | 98% of people | 2024 |
R&D labs
Largest companies in South Korea
Startups in South Korea
- CareNation
- circuscompany
- CT Corp.
- FruitsFamily
- Innospace
- Kurly
- MIT Co., Ltd.
- Perigee Aerospace
- Pulsar Gaming Gears
- Shift Up
- Syscon
- Upstage
- VESSL AI
- yeogi.com
Investors in South Korea
Main export industries
South Korea exported goods worth about $683.1bn in 2024. Its biggest export industries:
- Electrical machinery and equipment: $212.9bn (31.2% of goods exports)
- Vehicles: $91.9bn (13.4% of goods exports)
- Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors: $80.4bn (11.8% of goods exports)
- Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation: $52.6bn (7.7% of goods exports)
- Plastics and articles thereof: $36.2bn (5.3% of goods exports)
Source: UN Comtrade, goods only (services exports are not included).
Other economies in Asia
- China (#2)
- Japan (#4)
- India (#6)
- Indonesia (#17)
- Singapore (#27)
- Thailand (#29)
- Vietnam (#32)
- Philippines (#33)
- Malaysia (#34)
- Bangladesh (#37)
- Hong Kong (#39)
- Pakistan (#41)
- Sri Lanka (#72)
- Myanmar (#85)
- Macao (#94)
Questions and answers
How big is the economy of South Korea?
South Korea had a GDP of $1.87 trillion in 2025, ranking number 13 in the 311 Nations Index.
What is GDP per person in South Korea?
GDP per person in South Korea was $36,227 in 2025.
How fast is the economy of South Korea growing?
The economy of South Korea grew by 1.0% in 2025.
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0).
© 311 Institute 2026. Facts from Wikidata (CC0) and the sources linked on this page. The selection, classification and links are the proprietary work of the 311 Institute, protected by copyright and database rights.