Refugees
43,513refugees and others in need of protection hosted, 2025
747from it, abroad, 2025
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder2025
Country page · Updated 13 Nov 2026
South Korea
South Korea has 52 m people (World Bank, 2025) and an economy of $1.87 tn a year (World Bank, 2025). It imports all of the gas it uses (EIA, 2024, preliminary).
Written automatically from the figures on this page.
- Population
- 52 m (2025)
Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:50m, which shows who controls an area in practice. Borders shown do not imply endorsement.
- GDPUS$1.87trillion13th of 186World Bank · 2025
- Population52million29th of 216World Bank · 2025
- GDP per personUS$36,22731st of 186World Bank · 2025
- Military, % GDP2.6% of GDP34th of 150World Bank · 2025
- CO2 per person11.3t21st of 213Global Carbon Budget · 2024
Dependencies at a glance
South Korea imports all of the gas it uses; it exports phosphate.
Imports mostImports someLow net tradeExporter
| Resource | Dependence | Position | Main partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | Imports most | Imports 96% of the oil it uses PreliminaryEIA, use 2025 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Saudi Arabia, United States, Iraq |
| Natural gas | Imports most | Imports all of the gas it uses PreliminaryEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Australia, Malaysia, Qatar |
| Wheat | Imports most | Imports 99% of the wheat it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Australia, United States, Bulgaria |
| Maize | Imports most | Imports 99% of the maize it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Brazil, Argentina, Ukraine |
| Rice | Low net trade | Imports 8.2% of the rice it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | China, Vietnam, United States |
| Soybeans | Imports most | Imports 88% of the soybeans it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | United States, Brazil |
| Potash | Imports most | Imports 76% of its potash supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Canada, Laos, Israel |
| Phosphate | Exporter | Exports 36% of what it produces EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, exports 2025 | India, Japan, Pakistan (buyers) |
| Arms | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: United States, 93% of importsSIPRI, 2021–2025 | United States, United Kingdom, Israel |
| Chips | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: Taiwan, 39% of importsUN Comtrade, 2025 | Taiwan, China, Japan |
Dependence is net imports: imports minus exports, as a share of what the country uses; for potash and phosphate, of its supply (production plus net imports). Arms and chips show supplier concentration only: the main supplier’s share of imports (arms: five-year totals of deliveries in SIPRI’s trend-indicator value, SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons).
- OilImports most
Imports 96% of the oil it uses Preliminary
Main partners: Saudi Arabia, United States, Iraq
EIA, use 2025 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- Natural gasImports most
Imports all of the gas it uses Preliminary
Main partners: Australia, Malaysia, Qatar
EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- WheatImports most
Imports 99% of the wheat it uses
Main partners: Australia, United States, Bulgaria
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- MaizeImports most
Imports 99% of the maize it uses
Main partners: Brazil, Argentina, Ukraine
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- RiceLow net trade
Imports 8.2% of the rice it uses
Main partners: China, Vietnam, United States
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- SoybeansImports most
Imports 88% of the soybeans it uses
Main partners: United States, Brazil
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- PotashImports most
Imports 76% of its potash supply Estimate
Main partners: Canada, Laos, Israel
FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- PhosphateExporter
Exports 36% of what it produces Estimate
Main partners: India, Japan, Pakistan (buyers)
FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, exports 2025
- ArmsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: United States, 93% of imports
Main partners: United States, United Kingdom, Israel
SIPRI, 2021–2025
- ChipsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: Taiwan, 39% of imports
Main partners: Taiwan, China, Japan
UN Comtrade, 2025
Source: EIA; FAOSTAT; SIPRI; UN Comtradeyear in each rowUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Dependencies toolMoney and reserves
South Korea’s economy produced $1.87 tn in 2025.
GDP, 2000–2025
Source: World Bank Indicators2000–2025Updated 13 Nov 2026
Economic growth1.0%2025 · 159th of 186 · World Bank
Inflation2.1%2025 · 110th of 169 · World Bank
Unemployment2.7%2025 · 153rd of 181 · World Bank
ReservesUS$418billion2024 · 8th of 164 · World Bank
Trade85% of GDP2024 · 80th of 172 · World Bank
Foreign investment inUS$15.8billion2025 · 28th of 200 · World Bank
US Treasury securities held
US Treasury securities heldUS$134bn2026-08; US$136bn a year earlier
Source: US Treasury TIC2026-08Updated 13 Nov 2026
People
South Korea had 52 m people in 2025.
Population, 1950–2100
Projection: UN projection, medium variant, after 2023Range between the UN low- and high-fertility scenarios
Source: UN World Population ProspectsUpdated 13 Nov 2026Projection
South Korea’s population by age
1950200020502100
Source: UN World Population Prospects1950–2100Updated 13 Nov 2026Projection
Births per woman0.722023 · 235th of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Median age44.52023 · 21st of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Aged 65 and over20%2025, Projection, medium variant · UN WPP 2024
Technology and space
Satellites owned in South Korea numbered 85 at the end of 2026.
Climate and hazards
South Korea emitted 584 Mt of CO2 from fossil fuels and cement in 2024.
South Korea’s CO2 emissions, million tonnes, 1990–2024
Source: Our World in Data CO21990–2024Updated 13 Nov 2026
CO2 emissions584Mt2024 · 9th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person11.3t2024 · 21st of 213 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 since 175020,708Mt2024 · 16th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
Water stress2.42023 · 60th of 164 · WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
More figures
Shown only where a source covers South Korea.
Sanctions
2entries on the US, EU and UK lists give it as an address or nationality: US 2
Counts entries (people, companies, ships and aircraft), not how strict the measures are.
Source: US CSL; EU sanctions list; UK Sanctions ListUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Cyber incidents
106publicly known incidents affecting South Korea, 2000–2024
Counts compare documented incidents, not how often a country is targeted. Who they were attributed to
Source: EuRepoC Global Dataset of Cyber Incidents 1.3.2 (4 Mar 2025), CC BY-NC 4.02000–2024
All figures
55 measures on this site have a recent figure for South Korea.
| GDP | $1.87 tn | 2025 | 13th of 186 | World Bank |
| GDP per person | $36,227 | 2025 | 31st of 186 | World Bank |
| Economic growth | 1.0% | 2025 | 159th of 186 | World Bank |
| Inflation | 2.1% | 2025 | 110th of 169 | World Bank |
| Government debt | Estimate | 2025 | 100th of 191 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Government budget balance | Estimate | 2025 | 90th of 195 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Current account balance | 6.5% | 2025 | 30th of 194 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Unemployment | 2.7% | 2025 | 153rd of 181 | World Bank |
| Reserves, including gold | $418 bn | 2024 | 8th of 164 | World Bank |
| Trade | 85% | 2024 | 80th of 172 | World Bank |
| Foreign investment in | $16 bn | 2025 | 28th of 200 | World Bank |
| Remittances received | 0.4% | 2024 | 127th of 162 | World Bank |
| Population | 52 m | 2025 | 29th of 216 | World Bank |
| Population with UN projections | 52 m | 2023 | 29th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Births per woman | 0.72 | 2023 | 235th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Median age | 44.5 | 2023 | 21st of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Life expectancy | 84.3 | 2023 | 5th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Refugees from the country | 747 | 2025 | 137th of 206 | UNHCR |
| Refugees and others needing protection, by host | 43,513 | 2025 | 82nd of 176 | UNHCR |
| Refugees hosted per 1,000 people | 0.8 | 2025 | 115th of 176 | UNHCR |
| Crude oil production | 0 kb/d | 2025 | 100th of 214 | EIA |
| Oil consumption | 2,542 kb/d | 2024 | 8th of 212 | EIA |
| Natural gas production | Preliminary | 2024 | 97th of 213 | EIA |
| Natural gas consumption | 61.9 bcm | 2024 | 14th of 213 | EIA |
| Electricity generated | 628 TWh | 2024 | 8th of 193 | Ember |
| Low-carbon electricity | 41% | 2024 | 89th of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from coal | 30% | 2024 | 31st of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from wind and solar | 6.6% | 2024 | 93rd of 193 | Ember |
| Wheat production | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 89th of 123 | FAOSTAT |
| Wheat imports | 4.6 Mt | 2024 | 16th of 180 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize production | 0.1 Mt | 2024 | 104th of 169 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize imports | 11.3 Mt | 2024 | 4th of 196 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice production | 3.2 Mt | 2024 | 18th of 135 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice imports | 0.4 Mt | 2024 | 37th of 197 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean production | 0.2 Mt | 2024 | 36th of 108 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean imports | 1.1 Mt | 2024 | 19th of 179 | FAOSTAT |
| Potash fertiliser use | 0.09 Mt | 2024 | 34th of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| Phosphate fertiliser use | 0.08 Mt | 2024 | 44th of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| CO2 emissions | 584 Mt | 2024 | 9th of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 per person | 11.3 t | 2024 | 21st of 213 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 emitted since 1750 | 20,708 Mt | 2024 | 16th of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Net CO2 imports through trade | 20% | 2023 | 63rd of 120 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Water stress | 2.4 | 2023 | 60th of 164 | WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0) |
| Water from abroad | 7% | 2023 | 94th of 193 | FAO AQUASTAT |
| Military spending, share of GDP | 2.6% | 2025 | 34th of 150 | World Bank |
| Military spending | $48 bn | 2025 | 13th of 150 | World Bank |
| Arms imports | 223 TIV m | 2025 | 36th of 108 | SIPRI |
| Arms exports | 2,021 TIV m | 2025 | 4th of 44 | SIPRI |
| Satellites in orbit | 85 | 2026 | 10th of 81 | Orbital data from CelesTrak |
| Orbital launches | 1 | 2026 | 8th of 9 | Orbital data from CelesTrak |
| Share of documented AI supercomputer power | 0.4% | 2025 | 12th of 36 | Epoch AI |
| People using the internet | 98% | 2024 | 13th of 182 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports | $17 bn | 2024 | 17th of 162 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports, share of service exports | 12% | 2024 | 45th of 162 | World Bank |
| Sanctions list entries (US, EU, UK) | 2 | 2026 | 155th of 181 | US CSL |
Sources for this page
- World Bank IndicatorsGDP, GDP per person, Economic growth, Inflation, Unemployment, Reserves, …
- IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026Debt, Budget balance, Current account
- UN World Population ProspectsPopulation (UN), Births per woman, Median age, Life expectancy
- UNHCR Refugee Data FinderRefugees from, Refugees hosted, Refugees per 1,000
- U.S. Energy Information AdministrationOil output, Oil use, Gas output, Gas use, Dependencies at a glance
- Ember electricity dataElectricity, Low-carbon electricity, Electricity from coal, Electricity from wind and solar
- FAOSTATWheat production, Wheat imports, Maize production, Maize imports, Rice production, Rice imports, …
- Our World in Data CO2CO2 emissions, CO2 per person, CO2 since 1750, Net CO2 imports through trade
- WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)Water stress
- FAO AQUASTATWater from abroad
- SIPRI Arms Transfers DatabaseArms imports, Arms exports, Dependencies at a glance
- CelesTrak SATCATSatellites in orbit, Orbital launches
- Epoch AIAI compute share
- US Consolidated Screening ListSanctions list entries, Sanctions
- UN ComtradeDependencies at a glance
- EU financial sanctions listSanctions
- UK Sanctions ListSanctions
- EuRepoC cyber incidentsCyber incidents
Page last updated 13 Nov 2026How we measure