Economy of South Korea

This article is about the economy of the Republic of Korea. For the economy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, see Economy of North Korea.

Economy of South Korea

Seoul, Seocho District in Seoul is one of Korea's major financial and business centers.
Currency	South Korean won (KRW, ₩)
Fiscal year	Calendar year
Trade organizations	APEC, WTO, RCEP, OECD, G20
Country group	Developed economy High-income economy
Statistics
Population	51.5 million (2025)
GDP	$1.87 trillion (nominal; 2025) $3.36 trillion (PPP; 2025)
GDP rank	14th (nominal; 2025) 14th (PPP; 2025)
GDP growth	1.0% (2025) 1.4% (2026f)
GDP per capita	$37,520 (nominal; 2026) $67,550 (PPP; 2026)
GDP per capita rank	33rd (nominal; 2026f) 29th (PPP; 2026f)
GDP per capita growth	1.1% (2025)
GDP by sector	Agriculture: 1.6% Industry: 31.6% Services: 58.4% (2023 est.)
Inflation (CPI)	2.5% (2024)
Population below national poverty line	14.4% (2016 est.)
Gini coefficient	32.9 medium (2021)
Human Development Index	0.937 very high (2023) (20th) 0.857 very high IHDI (2023, 18th)
Corruption Perceptions Index	64 out of 100 points (2024, 30th rank)
Labor force	28,466,640 (2020, ILO) 65.8% employment rate (2020)
Labor force by occupation	Agriculture: 4.8% Industry: 24.6% Services: 70.6% (2017 est.)
Unemployment	2.6% (October 2025) 6.4% youth unemployment (15 to 24-year-olds, 2024)
Average gross salary	4,583,525 ₩ / US$3,360 monthly (2024)
Average net salary	3,835,828 ₩ / US$2,810 monthly (2024)
Main industries	Electronics telecommunications automobile production chemicals shipbuilding steel
External
Exports	$709.4 billion (2025)
Export goods	Integrated circuits 15.35% Machinery 12.81% Vehicles and their parts 11.34% Mineral fuels 7.01% Plastics 5.86% Iron and steel 4.23% Instruments and apparatus 4.16% Organic chemicals 3.85% Others 35.39% (2019)
Main export partners	China 23.4% Hong Kong 4.9% United States 17.3% Taiwan 6.9% Japan 4.0% (2025)
Imports	$631.7 billion (2025)
Import goods	Mineral fuels 25.01% Machinery 9.17% Integrated circuits 7.08% Instruments and apparatus 4.88% Vehicles and their parts 3.23% Ores, Slags and ash 3.13% Iron and steel 3.02% Organic chemicals 2.62% Others 41.86% (2019)
Main import partners	China 22.5% United States 11.6% Japan 7.8% Taiwan 5.1% (2025)
FDI stock	$230.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.) Abroad: $344.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
Current account	$68 billion (2020)
Gross external debt	$542.4 billion (2020)
Public finance
Government debt	39.8% of GDP (2020)
Foreign reserves	$458.700 billion (July 2021 est.)
Budget balance	-3.5% of GDP (2020)
Revenue	$428.7 billion (2020)
Spending	$456.5 billion (2020)
Economic aid	ODA, $2.4 billion (donor) (2018) aid to North Korea excluded
Credit rating	Standard & Poor's: AA- (Domestic) AA- (Foreign) AA (T&C Assessment) Outlook: Stable Moody's: Aa2 Outlook: Stable Fitch: AA- Outlook: Stable
All values, unless otherwise stated, are in US dollars.

South Korea has a highly developed mixed economy. By nominal GDP, the economy was worth ₩2.56 quadrillion (US$1.87 trillion). It has the 4th largest economy in Asia and the 13th largest in the world as of 2025. South Korea is notable for its rapid economic development from an underdeveloped nation to a developed, high-income country in a few decades. This economic growth has been described as the Miracle on the Han River, which has allowed it to join the OECD and the G20. It is included in the group of Next Eleven countries as having the potential to play a dominant role in the global economy by the middle of the 21st century. Compared to other OECD members, South Korea has a smaller welfare state and spends less on its social security system; social expenditure stood at roughly 15.5% of GDP. South Korea spends around 4.93% of GDP on advanced research and development across various sectors of the economy.

South Korea's education system and the establishment of a motivated and educated populace were largely responsible for spurring the country's high technology boom and economic development. South Korea began to adapt an export-oriented economic strategy in the 1960s to fuel its economy. In 2022, South Korea was the ninth largest exporter and ninth largest importer in the world. The Bank of Korea and the Korea Development Institute periodically release major economic indicators and economic trends of the economy of South Korea.

Renowned financial organisations, such as the International Monetary Fund, note the resilience of the South Korean economy against various economic crises. They cite the country's economic advantages as reasons for this resilience, including low state debt and high fiscal reserves that can quickly be mobilised to address any expected financial emergencies. South Korea was one of the few developed countries that was able to avoid a recession during the Great Recession. South Korea's economy relies significantly on semiconductor and other AI-related gear exports, which account for around 40% of its total exports. The ratio of South Korea's exports to GDP is 46%. Consumption, by contrast, plays a relatively small role, accounting for 40% of South Korea's GDP.

Despite the South Korean economy's high growth and structural stability, South Korea is experiencing damage to its credit rating in the stock market due to North Korea in times of military crises. The recurring conflict affects the financial markets of its economy. The South Korean economy faces challenges due to a declining and ageing population, with a fertility rate among the lowest in the world, as well as economic competition from China. Additionally, economic growth is increasingly concentrated in a small number of tech-related companies, with smaller businesses that account for 60% of employment seeing slower growth.

History

Overview

Following the Korean War, South Korea remained a country with less developed markets for a little more than a decade. The growth of the industrial sector was the principal stimulus to South Korea's economic development. In 1986, manufacturing industries accounted for approximately 30 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and 25 percent of the workforce. Due to strong domestic encouragement and some foreign aid, Seoul's industrialists introduced modern technologies into outmoded or newly built facilities, increased the production of commodities—especially those for sale in foreign markets—and plowed the proceeds back into further industrial expansion. As a result, industry altered South Korea's landscape, drawing millions of labourers to urban manufacturing centres.

A downturn in the South Korean economy in 1989 spurred by a decrease in exports and foreign orders caused concern in the industrial sector. Ministry of Trade and Industry analysts stated that decreased export performance resulted from structural problems, including an overly strong won, increased wages and labour costs, frequent strikes, and higher interest rates. The result was an increase in inventories and cutbacks in production at a number of electronics, automobile, and textile manufacturers, as well as at the smaller firms that supplied the parts. Factory automation systems were introduced to reduce dependence on labour, to boost productivity with a smaller workforce, and to improve competitiveness.

Colonial period

Japan colonized Korea, officially annexing it on 22 August 1910 as the Province of Choson. Japan encouraged an inflow of Japanese capital to Korea's less developed economy. A large majority of major firms in Korea became Japanese owned and operated as a result, with key positions reserved for Japanese. Koreans were permitted to work in menial roles under harsh labor conditions. Most of Korea's coal, iron, and crop production was shipped to Japan.

Rapid growth from 1960s to 1980s

Main article: Miracle on the Han River

Growth of the South Korean economy 1961–2015

Economy of South Korea, compared to North Korea. North Korea began to lose the economic competition after its adoption of Juche in 1974.

Following the coup that brought General Park Chung Hee to power in 1961, which at first caused political instability and an economic crisis, a protectionist economic policy began, pushing a bourgeoisie that developed in the shadow of the State to reactivate the internal market. To promote development, a policy of export-oriented industrialisation was applied, closing the entry into the country of all kinds of foreign products, except raw materials. Agrarian reforms were carried out and Park nationalised the financial system to swell the powerful state arm, whose intervention in the economy was through five-year plans.

The spearhead was the chaebols, diversified family conglomerates such as Hyundai, Samsung, and LG Corporation, which received state incentives such as tax breaks, legality for their exploitation system and cheap or free financing: the state bank facilitated the planning of concentrated loans by item according to each five-year plan, and by economic group selected to lead it.

South Korea received foreign aid from the United States due to their Cold War alliance, and foreign economic and military support has continued for years. Much of the aid was corruptly appropriated, some by future chaebol founders. Chaebols started to dominate the domestic economy and, eventually, began to become internationally competitive. Under these chaebols, workers began to see their wages and working conditions improve, which increased domestic consumption. By the 1980s, the country had risen from low income to middle income.

South Korea's real GDP expanded by an average of more than 8 percent per year, from US$2.7 billion in 1962 to US$230 billion in 1989, breaking the trillion dollar mark in the early 2000s. Nominal GDP per capita grew from US$103.88 in 1962 to US$5,438.24 in 1989, reaching the US$20,000 milestone in 2006. The manufacturing sector grew from 14.3 percent of the GNP in 1962 to 30.3 percent in 1987. Commodity trade volume rose from US$480 million in 1962 to a projected US$127.9 billion in 1990. The ratio of domestic savings to GNP grew from 3.3 percent in 1962 to 35.8 percent in 1989. In the early 1960s, South Korea's rate of growth exceeded North Korea's rate of growth in most industrial areas.

The most significant factor in rapid industrialisation was the adoption of an outward-looking strategy in the early 1960s. This strategy was particularly well-suited to that time because of South Korea's low savings rate and small domestic market. The strategy promoted economic growth through labour-intensive manufactured exports, in which South Korea could develop a competitive advantage. Government initiatives played an important role in this process. Entrepreneurs such as Kim Hyung-mok were key figures in supporting industrial growth by investing in education and infrastructure aligned with the state’s economic goals. Through the model of export-led industrialisation, the South Korean government incentivised corporations to develop new technology and upgrade productive efficiency to compete in the global market. By adhering to state regulations and demands, firms were awarded subsidisation and investment support to develop their export markets in the evolving international arena. In addition, the inflow of foreign capital was encouraged to supplement the shortage of domestic savings. These efforts enabled South Korea to achieve growth in exports and subsequent increases in income.

By 1970, South Korea had become a major exporter of light manufactured goods such as textile and apparel products, footwear, women's accessories, and electronics products.

Beginning in 1973, South Korea's government used its National Investment Fund and the Korea Development Bank to invest large amounts of money into what Park Chung Hee's government viewed as the six strategic industries: steel, non-ferrous metals, shipbuilding, industrial machinery, electronics, and petrochemicals. This developmental approach was frequently criticized at the time from outside Korea, including by the World Bank. The strategy was successful and ultimately also helped develop companies like Samsung and POSCO and reduced input costs for production in downstream industries as well.

By emphasising the industrial sector, Seoul's export-oriented development strategy left the rural sector barely touched. The steel and shipbuilding industries in particular played key roles in developing South Korea's economy during this time. Except for mining, most industries were located in the urban areas of the northwest and southeast. Heavy industries were located in the south of the country. Factories in Seoul contributed over 25 percent of all manufacturing value-added in 1978; taken together with factories in the surrounding Gyeonggi Province, factories in the Seoul area produced 46 percent of all manufacturing that year. Factories in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province employed 48 percent of the nation's 2.1 million factory workers. Increased income disparity between the industrial and agricultural sectors became a problem by the 1970s despite government efforts to raise farm income and improve rural areas

South Korean inflation

  M2 money supply increases

  Inflation

  Inflation ex food and energy

In the early 1980s, in order to control inflation, a conservative monetary policy and tight fiscal measures were adopted. Growth of the money supply was reduced from the 30 percent level of the 1970s to 15 percent. During this time, Seoul froze its budget for a short while. Government intervention in the economy was greatly reduced and policies on imports and foreign investment were liberalised to promote competition. To reduce the imbalance between rural and urban sectors, Seoul expanded investments in public projects, such as roads and communications facilities, while further promoting farm mechanisation.

The measures implemented early in the decade, coupled with significant improvements in the world economy, helped South Korea regain its lost momentum. South Korea achieved an average of 9.2 percent real growth between 1982 and 1987 and 12.5 percent between 1986 and 1988. The double-digit inflation of the 1970s was brought under control. Wholesale price inflation averaged 2.1 percent per year from 1980 through 1988; consumer prices increased by an average of 4.7 percent annually. Seoul achieved its first significant surplus in its balance of payments in 1986 and recorded a US$7.7 billion and a US$11.4 billion surplus in 1987 and 1988 respectively. This development permitted South Korea to begin reducing its level of foreign debt. The trade surplus for 1989, however, was only US$4.6 billion, and a small negative balance was projected for 1990.

1990s and the Asian Financial Crisis

See also: Asian Financial Crisis

South Korean bonds

  50 year

  10 year

  2 year

  1 year

In 1990, South Korean manufacturers planned a shift in future production plans toward high-technology industries. In June 1989, panels of government officials, scholars, and business leaders held planning sessions on the production of such goods as new materials, mechatronics—including industrial robotics—bioengineering, microelectronics, fine chemistry, and aerospace. This shift in emphasis, however, did not mean an immediate decline in heavy industries such as automobile and ship production, which had dominated the economy in the 1980s.

For the first half of the 1990s, the South Korean economy continued a stable and strong growth in both private consumption and GDP. South Korea joined the World Trade Organization in 1995. However, the country's rice import system was permitted to receive special treatment until 2014. After that point, South Korea would switch to a tariff-rate quota.

During the 1997 Asian financial crisis, after several other Asian currencies were attacked by speculators, the Korean won started to depreciate in October 1997. The problem was exacerbated due to non-performing loans at many of Korea's merchant banks. By December 1997, the IMF had approved a US$21 billion loan, which would be part of a US$58.4 billion bailout plan. By January 1998, the government had shut down a third of Korea's merchant banks. Throughout 1998, Korea's economy would continue to shrink quarterly at an average rate of −6.65%. and South Korean chaebol Daewoo was dismantled by the government in 1999 due to debt problems. General Motors managed to purchase the motors division. Indian conglomerate Tata Group purchased the trucks and heavy vehicles division of Daewoo.

Actions by the South Korean government and debt swaps by international lenders have contained the country's financial problems. Much of South Korea's recovery from the 1997 Asian financial crisis can be attributed to labour adjustments (i.e. a dynamic and productive labour market with flexible wage rates) and alternative funding sources. By the first quarter of 1999, GDP growth had risen to 5.4%, and strong growth thereafter combined with deflationary pressure on the currency led to a yearly growth of 10.5%. In December 1999, President Kim Dae-jung declared the currency crisis over.

2000s

South Korea's economy has moved away from a centrally planned, government-directed investment model toward a more market-oriented one. These economic reforms, pushed by President Kim Dae-jung, helped South Korea maintain one of Asia's few expanding economies, with growth rates of 10.8% in 1999 and 9.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global economy, decreased exports, and perceptions that corporate and financial reforms had stalled.

After the bounce back from the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the economy continued strong growth in 2000 with a GDP growth of 9.08%. However, the South Korean economy was affected by the September 11 attacks. The slowing global economy, falling exports, and the perception that corporate and financial reforms had stalled caused growth to decrease to 3.8% in 2001 Thanks to industrialisation GDP per hour worked (labour output) more than tripled from US$2.80 in 1963 to US$10.00 in 1989. More recently the economy stabilised and maintained a growth rate of between 4–5% from 2003 onwards.

Led by industry and construction, growth in 2002 was 5.8%, despite anemic global growth. The restructuring of chaebols, bank privatisation, and the creation of a more liberalised economy—with a mechanism for bankrupt firms to exit the market—remain an unfinished reform task. Growth slowed in 2003, but production expanded 5% in 2006, due to popular demand for key export products such as HDTVs and mobile phones.

Like most industrialised economies, South Korea experienced setbacks during the Great Recession. Growth fell by 3.4% in the fourth quarter of 2008 from the previous quarter, the first negative quarterly growth in 10 years, with year on year quarterly growth continuing to be negative into 2009. Many sectors of the economy at the time reported declines, with manufacturing dropping 25.6% as of January 2009, and consumer goods sales dropping 3.1%. Exports in autos and semiconductors, two pillars of the economy, shrank 55.9% and 46.9% respectively, while exports overall fell by a record 33.8% in January, and 18.3% in February 2009 year on year. As in the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Korean currency also experienced massive fluctuations, declining by 34% against the US dollar. Annual growth in the economy slowed to 2.3% in 2008, and was expected to drop to as low as −4.5% by Goldman Sachs, but South Korea was able to limit the downturn to a standstill at 0.2% in 2009. Despite the Great Recession, the South Korean economy, helped by timely stimulus measures and strong domestic consumption of products that compensated for decreased exports, was able to avoid a recession unlike most industrialised economies, posting positive economic growth for two consecutive years of the crisis. In 2010, South Korea made an economic rebound with a growth rate of 6.1%, signaling a return of the economy to pre-crisis levels. South Korea's exports recorded $424 billion in the first eleven months of the year 2010, already higher than its export in the whole year of 2008.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye at a breakfast meeting with chaebol business magnates Lee Kun-hee and Chung Mong-koo in 2013

The South Korean government signed the Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA) on 5 December 2013, with the Australian government seeking to benefit its industries—including automotive, services, and resources and energy—and position itself alongside competitors, such as the U.S. and ASEAN. South Korea is Australia's third largest export market and fourth largest trading partner with a 2012 trade value of A$32 billion. The agreement contains an Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) clause that permits legal action from South Korean corporations against the Australian government if their trade rights are infringed upon.

The government cut the work week from six days to five in phases, from 2004 to 2011, depending on the size of the firm. The number of public holidays was expanded to 16 by 2013.

In the late 2010s, the South Korean economy was impacted by conflicts in foreign relations, such as China's response to THAAD deployment by South Korea and the Japan–South Korea trade dispute.

In 2016, Hyundai Merchant Marine was put under state control after its bailout. Hanjin Shipping, one of the world's largest container shippers, was declared bankrupt in February 2017. The bankruptcy left HMM as the country's only major shipping line.

In 2018, President Moon Jae-in capped working hours and raised the minimum wage rapidly.

South Korean economy decreased in the first quarter of 2019, which happened to be its worst drop since the Great Recession. GDP declined a seasonally adjusted 0.3 percent from the previous quarter.

COVID-19 pandemic and 2020s economic situation

Due to the sudden evolution of COVID-19, private consumption decreased, and a bottleneck in the supply sector occurred. With this situation, the Bank of Korea indicated that the consumer inflation rate rose about three percent after COVID-19 evolved. Assuming that South Korea's interest rate was low compared to other countries, raising house prices and household debt became one of the problems in South Korea's economy.

As part of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government introduced sizeable fiscal and liquidity support, including expanded employment-retention subsidies, emergency cash transfers, and loan-payment deferrals and guarantees for firms; measures the OECD later noted helped preserve jobs and limit household income losses.

In April 2020, the government introduced two relief programmes: ₩40 trillion Key Industry Stabilization Fund, via the Korea Development Bank, to temporarily provide financing to sectors affected by the COVID-19 shock, and a temporary increase in the existing Employment Retention Subsidy (고용유지지원금) paid to employers who put workers on furlough instead of laying them off. To reach workers outside employment insurance, a temporary emergency employment stabilization allowance was introduced for "special-type" workers - which includes the self-employed and contractors - with pandemic-related income declines, with payments totalling ₩1.5 million over three months.

The government had to incur a massive fiscal spending in 2020, leading to a rise in the fiscal deficit as projected in their budget. Moreover, their forecasted debt-to-GDP ratio jumped to 41.2% of GDP in 2020 from 37.1% of GDP in 2019. In 2021, the government unveiled a $29 billion extra budget to aid small businesses and boost employment.

In July 2022, South Korea's consumer price index rose 6.3 percent, the highest rate since November 1998.

South Korea faced a turning point in its economy in 2023. With the increasing challenges posed by China's growing manufacturing industry and the impact of COVID-19, South Korea's manufacturing sector is experiencing a consistent decline. According to SP Global, South Korea's export of manufactured goods to China, one of the biggest trading partners of South Korea, decreased by 4.4% in the fourth quarter of 2022 and by 31% in January 2023. On the other hand, their primary electronic manufacturing industry is facing a downturn. While information and communication technology maintained 34% of South Korea's total 2022 exports, at the end of the year, it decreased to 24%.

Policy announcements in 2022–2023 included continued financial forbearance for small businesses and SMEs through extensions of loan maturities and repayment deferrals, alongside targeted relief for high energy costs via expanded energy vouchers for low-income households.

The government also convened strategy meetings aimed at strengthening competitiveness in semiconductors and rechargeable batteries, and in March 2023, the government expanded tax incentives and other support intended to strengthen competitiveness in high-tech manufacturing, including semiconductors and rechargeable batteries.

To stabilise the inflated economy, the government has passed the "Korean New Deal Program" to US$144 billion. This expansionary fiscal policy promoted private consumption and increased the number of jobs. This expansionary fiscal stimulus is designed to recover the economic and social impact of COVID-19 from the existing climate and environmental dangers. The New Deal policy is divided explicitly into healthcare and green industries.

South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance asserted the New Growth Strategy 4.0 in August 2023. The New Growth Strategy suggests projects for South Korea's long-term industry growth. The South Korean government advocates these policies as a New Growth 4.0 project, which aims to generate tangible outcomes in the future by setting the focus of policy and investments towards emerging industries. To achieve these goals, the strategy outlines the following key guidelines:

1. Foster artificial intelligence and semiconductor industries and build up a collaborative ecosystem between businesses.
2. Dominate the global market of the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) industry.
3. Secure Clean Hydrogen Production Technology via Water Electrolysis.
4. Advance Autonomous Driving Technologies.
5. Promote the Battery Re-manufacturing and Reuse Markets.
6. Expand the Private Sector-led My Data Based Services.
7. Streamline the Ordering Process of Research Equipment or Facilities to Alleviate Administrative Burdens.

In April 2025, the incorporation of Korean government bonds into the "World Government Bond Index" was postponed from November this year to April next year. After being listed as a prospective candidate for incorporation in September 2022, it was successfully included in the regular market classification report in the second half of October 2024.

Sectors

See also: List of largest companies of South Korea, Chaebol, and Economy of Seoul

Agriculture and fishing

Main articles: Agriculture in South Korea, Aquaculture in South Korea, and Fishing industry in South Korea

See also: Rice production in South Korea

This section is an excerpt from Agriculture in South Korea.[edit]

Cultivated fields in Gyeongju, South Korea (2006), display intensive use of land, dominated by the rice crop.

Andong-Hahoe Folk Village (2005) showing high-productivity rice field

Agriculture in South Korea is a sector of the economy of South Korea. Korean agriculture is the basic industry of the Korean economy, consisting of farming, animal husbandry, forestry and fishing. At the time of its founding, Korea was a typical agricultural country, with more than 80% of the population engaged in agricultural production. After land reform under the Syngman Rhee administration, economic revitalization under the Park Chung-hee military government and the wave of world trade liberalization that began in the 1980s, Korean agriculture has undergone dramatic changes. Through the Green Revolution, Korea became self-sufficient in rice, the staple food, in 1978, and in 1996, Korea became the first Asian country after Japan to mechanize its agriculture with fine-grained cultivation. The development of Korean agriculture has also led to the development of agriculture-related industries such as fertilizer, agricultural machinery and seed.

The natural resources required for agriculture in South Korea are not abundant. Two thirds of the country are mountain and hill. Arable land only accounts for 22 percent of the country's land. It is one of the countries with the least arable land per capita in the world. Korea has a very low self-sufficiency rate for agricultural products, except for rice and potatoes, which are largely self-sufficient, while 85% of other foodstuffs need to be imported. In addition, Korea imports more than 60% of its beef, fish and shellfish, 20% of its fruit, poultry and milk from abroad, and only sugar and eggs are self-sufficient. Since the 1980s, with the restructuring of Korean agriculture, the area of food crops has tended to decrease, while the area of high value-added crops, vegetables and fruits has increased in proportion to the plantation industry. The most important crop in South Korea is rice, accounting for about 90 percent of the country's total grain production and over 40 percent of farm income. Other grain products heavily rely on imports from other countries. Farms range in size from small, family-owned farms to large corporations, but most are small-scale and rely heavily on government support and services in order to survive.

In the 1960s, Korea's economy began to grow at a rapid pace, creating the "Han River Miracle". In 2005, the share of agriculture in Korea's GDP fell to 2.9 percent from 50 percent at the start of the country's history. With urbanization and industrialization, Korea's agricultural population has been lost and is aging, with the proportion of people employed in agriculture falling from 50% to 8.5% between 1970 and 2000, and to 7% in 2008.

This section is an excerpt from Fishing industry in South Korea.[edit]

Fishing Industry in South Korea

Until the 1960s, agriculture and fishing were the dominant industries of the economy of South Korea. The fishing industry of South Korea depends on the existing bodies of water that are shared between South Korea, China and Japan. Its coastline lies adjacent to the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan, and enables access to marine life such as fish and crustaceans.

Manufacturing

Main article: Manufacturing in South Korea

The South Korean government began boosting light industries in the 1960s. Government focus shifted to heavy and chemical industries in the mid-1970s. Investment transitioned to high-tech industries in the 1990s. The country's growth in manufacturing began to stagnate in the mid-2000s.

Automobile

Main article: Automotive industry in South Korea

See also: List of automobile manufacturers of South Korea and Plug-in electric vehicles in South Korea

A Hyundai automobile

In the 1960s, South Korean companies began assembling vehicles for foreign automakers. The first car designed and manufactured in South Korea was made by Kia in 1974. South Korea's first automobile exports occurred in 1976.

Kia acquired Asia Motors in 1976 and Shinjin Motors was acquired by Daewoo in 1978. The ownership of SsangYong Motor, which also once operated under Daewoo, changed hands multiple times.

More acquisitions occurred amidst the 1997 Asian financial crisis. After Kia went bankrupt, Hyundai Motor Company acquired 51% of the company in 1998. In 2000, Renault acquired Samsung Motors. General Motors, a shareholder in Daewoo Motors, acquired the company in 2002. In the following decades, Hyundai Motor Group rose to become one of the largest automakers in the world.

Battery

Main article: Battery industry of South Korea

South Korean companies began developing batteries in the 1980s and started supplying them for EVs in 2009. In recent years, the global market share of the biggest three Korean battery firms (LG Energy Solution, SK On, and Samsung SDI) has only been second to China. In the 2020s, they began to transition away from EVs to energy storage due to demand.

Electronics

Main article: Electronics industry in South Korea

Founded in 1959 for radio assembly, Goldstar's production expanded to television receivers, telephones, and home appliances within a decade. Following normalized diplomatic relations with Japan in 1965, South Korean firms began supplying Japanese firms. This provided an avenue for technology transfer in more technology intensive sectors. Samsung and Daewoo established electronics firms after government policy in 1969 offered easy credit access, tax breaks, and infrastructure. They both began production with television sets. Taihan, once South Korea's largest electronics firm, was later absorbed by Daewoo.

Goldstar, Samsung, and Daewoo all produced as subcontractors to foreign firms. The government allowed chaebols to establish joint ventures with foreign firms, with the long-term goal of producing advanced electronics products. Foreign electronics companies were attracted to South Korea by low-cost female labor, long annual work hours, and favorable export manufacturing policies. In 1972, a total of 8 foreign firms accounted for approximately a third of the country's electronics production. After the mid-1970s, foreign firms began shifting assembly out to other countries in Asia. But their share in exports stayed above 40% until 1980.

Hyundai entered the electronics sector in 1983 and SK began producing telecommunications equipment in 1995.

In the early 1990s, the South Korean government and local firms adopted the digital cellular technology CDMA. This was in contrast to global brands, which mostly chose GSM. The government's CDMA-only mobile service licenses hence protected the domestic market from such foreign competitors. The South Korean firms initially exported CDMA phones but eventually incorporated GSM technology as well. Samsung eventually overtook Nokia to become the world's largest mobile phone producer in 2012. LG, once the world's third-largest mobile phone maker, announced its exit from the business in 2021.

Samsung and LG entered the LCD market in 1995. They focused on R&D of TFT-LCD earlier than countries such as Japan or Taiwan. By the early 2010s, South Korea held a majority share of the flat panel display market. In 2018, China's LCD market share exceeded that of South Korea for the first time. In 2007, mass production of OLED began in South Korea. South Korea's majority market share in OLED gradually decreased after China entered the market in 2015.

Semiconductor

Main article: Semiconductor industry in South Korea

In 1974, Samsung acquired Korea Semiconductor (one of the country's first chipmakers). In 1983, Samsung decided to enter the dynamic random access memory chip business. It made 64KB DRAM chips the same year, becoming the third company in the world to do so. In 1992, it developed the world's first 64MB DRAM chip and took the lead in global DRAM market share.

In 1979, LG acquired Daehan Semiconductor and eventually created Goldstar Semiconductor. After the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Hyundai and LG merged chip operations as a part of the Kim Dae-jung administration's order for conglomerates to exchange business units and reduce investment overlap. As of 1998, Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Electronics, and LG Semicon had been the country's leading DRAM producers. In 2001, Hyundai Electronics changed its name to Hynix and received government approval to be spun off from Hyundai Group.

In 2011, SK Telecom acquired a controlling stake in Hynix Semiconductor. After becoming a supplier of high bandwidth memory chips for Nvidia, SK Hynix overtook Samsung Electronics to become the top memory chip producer in the world for the first time in 2025. In June 2026, Samsung Electronics was dethroned as the country's most valuable listed company for the first time in over 25 years by SK Hynix.

Pharmaceutical

The first new drug developed in South Korea was Sunpla, a gastric cancer treatment developed by SK Chemicals. In 1999, it was approved in the country. Factive, an antibiotic for treating "pneumonia and flare-ups of chronic bacterial bronchitis" developed by LG Life Sciences, was the country's first novel chemical drug approved by the U.S. FDA. Approved in 2011, Pharmicell's stem cell therapy product was the world's first to be mass-produced. Remsima, developed by Celltrion, was the first monoclonal antibody biosimilar in the world. It was approved by the European Medicines Agency in 2013. Samsung Biologics, a contract manufacturing organization, completed constructing the world's largest "single-site biologics drug manufacturing facility" in 2017.

Shipbuilding

Hanwha Ocean Okpo Shipyard in Geoje

South Korea became a leading producer of ships in the 1970s. With government support, Hyundai Heavy Industries became the largest South Korean shipbuilder. In the late 1970s, Samsung and Daewoo entered the shipbuilding business through acquisitions. The "oil glut" and global recession led to an industry decline in the mid-1980s. Labor unrest, a lack of government support, and Japanese competition decreased orders in the late 1980s.

From 2003 to 2011, South Korea ranked first in the world for shipbuilding.

In January 2022, the European Commission blocked the acquisition of Daewoo Shipbuilding Marine Engineering by Hyundai Heavy Industries. The commission stated that the combined firm would have a majority share of the market for large LNG carrier construction. After a failed acquisition attempt in 2009, Hanhwa Group became the largest shareholder in DSME in May 2023, renaming it to Hanwha Ocean.

Steel

Starting in the late 1960s, government policies gave firms entering the heavy and chemical industries support in areas such as credit access, tax breaks, and infrastructure. Due to the initial investment required for steel, the Pohang Iron and Steel Company (POSCO) was created under state ownership in 1968. As a part of normalizing relations in 1965 and colonial compensation, Japan provided financial and technical assistance in creating a steel complex in Pohang. POSCO has since been ranked as one of the highest-output steel producers in the world.

In 1998, the South Korean government agreed to sell shares of POSCO to the public as a part of IMF reforms amidst the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Hanbo Iron & Steel, the country's second-largest steelmaker before its collapse, defaulted on its debt in 1997. Creditor banks rejected Pohang's offer for select Hanbo facilities. In 2004, two arms of Hyundai Motor Group bought Hanbo.

As of 2009, POSCO was the primary steel producer in South Korea, followed by Hyundai Steel. At the time, a lack of blast furnace facilities led to a "chronic shortage of steel" in the country. In 2014, POSCO sold its stake in its specialty steel-making arm to SeAH. As of 2016, cheap Chinese products flooded the domestic steel plate market, which was faltering due to a slump in the shipbuilding industry. As of 2025, rebar suffered from "persistent oversupply" amidst a prolonged decline in construction. In 2026, the government implemented stricter oversight over the tracking information of imported steel to help enforce antidumping tariffs.

Over the years, various South Korean steelmakers such as Hyundai Steel and Dongkuk Steel have been fined for collusion by the Fair Trade Commission (South Korea).

Mining

Iron ore was the country's top export in the early 1960s. The decreasing profitability of domestic mining led to the closure of various mines. South Korea's graphite production declined significantly after the 1960s. In 2010, the country had one active molybdenum mine as it reoponed NMC to increase mineral self-sufficiency. In 2014, almost all mining production in the country was for non-metallic minerals by small companies. These minerals included kaolin, limestone, and silica.

Coal

As of 1988, there were 374 coal mines in the country. In the following years, over three hundred mines were shut down due to government initiatives. As of 2016, 3 publicly and 2 privately run coal mines were in service. As of 2025, only a private coal mine remained after the shutdown of the last state-run mine. Most coal produced in the country has been anthracite.

Tungsten

This section is an excerpt from Sangdong mine § History.[edit]

In 1916, tungsten was discovered in Sangdong. In the 1960s, the Sangdong mine accounted for 70% of South Korea's export earnings. In 1994, the mine closed amidst cheaper supplies from China. The mine was relaunched in 2026 amidst concerns overreliance on China.

Construction

Breakwater construction in Seosan coast (1984)

By 1981, the majority of construction work by South Korean companies took place overseas, particularly in the Middle East. By the end of the decade, focus shifted to a "rapidly growing domestic market."

South Korea's largest construction companies include Samsung C&T Corporation, which built some of the tallest buildings in the world such as Taipei 101, Petronas Towers, and the Burj Khalifa.

Defense

South Korea's remarkable technological advancements and industrialisation allowed the country to produce increasingly advanced military equipment.

Main article: Defense industry of South Korea

During the 1960s, South Korea was dependent on the United States to supply its armed forces, but after the elaboration of President Richard M. Nixon's policy of Vietnamisation in the early 1970s, South Korea began to manufacture its own weapons.

Since the 1980s, South Korea has begun exporting military equipment and technology to boost its international trade. Some of its key military export projects include the T-155 Firtina self-propelled artillery for Turkey; the K11 air-burst rifle for the United Arab Emirates; the Bangabandhu class guided-missile frigate for Bangladesh; fleet tankers such as Sirius class for the navies of Australia, New Zealand, and Venezuela; Makassar class amphibious assault ships for Indonesia; and the KT-1 trainer aircraft for Turkey, Indonesia, and Peru.

South Korea also exports various core components of other countries' advanced military hardware. Those hardware include modern aircraft such as F-15K fighters and AH-64 attack helicopters which will be used by Singapore, whose airframes will be built by Korea Aerospace Industries in a joint-production deal with Boeing. In other major outsourcing and joint-production deals, South Korea will facilitate the sales of Mistral class amphibious assault ships to Russia that will be produced by STX Corporation. The deal was cancelled in 2014 due to Russia's actions in Ukraine and the ships were sold to Egypt instead. South Korea's defence exports were $1.03 billion in 2008 and $1.17 billion in 2009.

Education

Main article: Education in South Korea

This section is an excerpt from Education in South Korea.[edit]

Education in South Korea is provided by both public schools and private schools with government funding available for both. South Korea is known for its high academic performance in reading, mathematics, and science, consistently ranking above the OECD average. South Korean education sits at ninth place in the world.

The education system in South Korea is known for being very strict and competitive. Students are expected to get into top universities, especially the "SKY" universities (Seoul National University, Korea University and Yonsei University). While this focus has helped the nation's economy grow and boost the rate of education of its people, the issues that arise from this has left much up for debate.

Energy

Main article: Energy in South Korea

See also: Renewable energy in South Korea

This section is an excerpt from Energy in South Korea.[edit]

Yongpyeong wind farm

South Korea is a major energy importer, importing nearly all of its oil needs and ranking as the third-largest importer of liquefied natural gas in the world in 2024. Electricity generation in the country mainly comes from conventional thermal power, which accounts for more than two thirds of production, and from nuclear power.

Energy producers were dominated by government enterprises, although privately operated coal mines and oil refineries also existed. The National Assembly enacted a broad electricity sector restructuring program in 2000, but the restructuring process was halted amid political controversy in 2004 and remains a topic of intense political debate.

South Korea has no proven oil reserves. Exploration until the 1980s in the Yellow Sea and on the continental shelf between Korea and Japan did not find any offshore oil. The Donghae-1 gas field produced natural gas between 2004 and 2021, and natural gas exploration off the east coast was started in 2024.

Coal supply in the country is insufficient and of low quality. The potential for hydroelectric power is limited because of high seasonal variations in the weather and the concentration of most of the rainfall in the summer. As of 2017, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has vowed to end the country’s reliance on coal and also said the nation would move away from nuclear energy. He has taken a major step in that direction in June, saying his country would not try to extend the life of its nuclear plants, would close existing coal-fired plants, and would not build any new coal plants.

In recent years, South Korea has set a new direction for its energy sector, with significant decarbonization goals, aiming to raise the share of electricity from renewable sources from 6% in 2019 to 35% by 2030.

Finance and banking

Main articles: Financial services in South Korea and List of banks in South Korea

Healthcare

Main article: Healthcare in South Korea

This section is an excerpt from Healthcare in South Korea.[edit]

Chonnam National University in Gwangju

Hyundai Starex ambulance

Healthcare in South Korea is universal, although a significant portion of healthcare is privately funded. South Korea's healthcare system is based on the National Health Insurance Service, a public health insurance program run by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to which South Koreans of sufficient income must pay contributions in order to insure themselves and their dependants, and the Medical Aid Program, a social welfare program run by the central government and local governments to insure those unable to pay National Health Insurance contributions. In 2015, South Korea ranked first in the OECD for healthcare access.

Satisfaction of healthcare has been consistently among the highest in the world; South Korea was rated as the second most efficient healthcare system by Bloomberg. Health insurance in South Korea is single-payer system. The introduction of health insurance resulted in a significant surge in the utilization of healthcare services.

Healthcare providers are overburdened by the government relying on their workforce. Healthcare providers are prosecuted for criminal malpractice at a much higher rate than expected for a country like South Korea, probably due to low legal protections. Patients too often cannot get treatment.

Housing

Main article: Housing in South Korea

This section is an excerpt from Housing in South Korea.[edit]

Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul

Housing in South Korea includes detached houses, apartment (unit of apartment, row houses, and private houses), studio apartments, and dormitories in non-residential buildings such as shopping malls and factories. While the occupancy rate of apartment houses is steadily rising, the occupancy rate of detached houses is steadily falling.

Retailing

Main pages: Retailing in South Korea and Category:South Korean brands

See also: List of South Korean retail companies, List of markets in South Korea, and Delivery culture in South Korea

This section is an excerpt from Retailing in South Korea.[edit]

Retailing in South Korea consists of hypermarkets, department stores, flea markets, traditional markets, and underground shopping malls. Hypermarkets sell dry goods and groceries, similar to Western supercentres. Traditional markets are also popular throughout South Korea.

Mass media and entertainment

Main articles: Korean Wave and Video games in South Korea

This section is an excerpt from Korean Wave.[edit]

South Korean K-pop rapper Psy performing "Gangnam Style" in Sydney in 2013

The Korean Wave, or hallyu (Korean: 한류; IPA: [ˈha(ː)ʎʎu] ^ⓘ), refers to the rise in global interest in South Korean popular culture that has spread rapidly since the 1990s. It is led by the spread of K-pop, K-dramas, K-beauty, K-food, and films, with key successes including K-pop groups 2NE1, BTS and Blackpink, the Oscar-winning film Parasite (2019) and the Netflix television series Squid Game (2021–2025). The Korean Wave has been recognized as a form of soft power and a significant economic asset for South Korea, generating revenue through cultural exports and tourism.

Following the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the end of military censorship over the South Korean entertainment industry, the country emerged as a major exporter of popular culture. The growth of satellite media in the late 1990s helped spread K-dramas and Korean cinema across East Asia and parts of Southeast Asia. Chinese journalists coined the term "Korean Wave" (Chinese: 韩流; pinyin: hánliú) in 1999 to describe the growing popularity of South Korean cultural products. During the 2000s, hallyu expanded into Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. By 2008, South Korea's cultural exports surpassed its cultural imports for the first time. The rise of social media and global internet platforms helped the Korean entertainment industry reach overseas audiences and gain support from the South Korean government.

Telecommunications

Main articles: Telecommunications in South Korea and Internet in South Korea

See also: Mobile phone industry in South Korea

This section is an excerpt from Telecommunications in South Korea.[edit]

In South Korea, telecommunications services improved dramatically in the 1980s with the assistance of foreign partners and as a result of the development of the electronics industry. The number of telephones in use in 1987 reached 9.2 million, a considerable increase from 1980, when there were 2.8 million subscribers (which, in turn, was four times the number of subscribers in 1972).

Radio, and in more recent years television, reached virtually every resident. By 1945 there were about 60,000 radio sets in the country. By 1987 there were approximately 42 million radio receivers in use, and more than 100 radio stations were broadcasting. Transistor radios and television sets have made their way to the most remote rural areas. Television sets, now mass-produced in South Korea, became far less expensive; most city people and a significant number of rural families owned or had access to a television. Ownership of television sets grew from 25,000 sets when broadcasting was initiated in 1961 to an estimated 8.6 million sets in 1987, and more than 250 television stations were broadcasting.

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in South Korea

In 2012, 11.1 million foreign tourists visited South Korea, making it one of the most visited countries in the world, up from 8.5 million in 2010. Many tourists from all around Asia visit South Korea which has been due to the rise of the Korean Wave (Hallyu).

Seoul is the principal tourist destination for visitors; popular tourist destinations outside of Seoul include the major coastal city of Busan, the Seorak-san national park, the historic city of Gyeongju, and subtropical Jeju Island.

Science and technology

Main article: Science and technology in South Korea

See also: South Korean robotics and South Korean space program

This section is an excerpt from Science and technology in South Korea.[edit]

Hyundai Motor Group, one of the top three car brands in the world

LG Electronics, the No. 1 TV market player in the world

Samsung Electronics, the world's No. 1 smartphone market share as of 2022

SK Hynix, the world's fourth-largest chipmaker in sales as of 2023

Science and technology in South Korea has advanced throughout the decades. The advancement of science and technology has become an integral part of economic planning in South Korea. Fast-growing industries have created a massive demand for new and more advanced technologies. Additionally, Korean engineers and scientists propose that the advancement of science and technology in partnership with North Korea could help facilitate the peaceful reunification of North and South Korea.

In the pursuit of advancement, South Korea has taken a centralized approach. South Korea was ranked 4th in the Global Innovation Index in 2025. As of 2022, South Korea has the sixth largest private investment in artificial intelligence.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Main article: Transport in South Korea

See also: Road transport in South Korea, List of airports in South Korea, Rail transport in South Korea, and Category:Ports and harbours of South Korea

This section is an excerpt from Transport in South Korea.[edit]

Transportation in South Korea is provided by extensive networks of railways, highways, bus routes, ferry services and air routes that traverse the country. South Korea is the third country in the world to operate a maglev train, which was an automatically run people mover at Incheon International Airport.

Government policies and labor market

See also: Welfare in South Korea, Pension policy in South Korea, Category:Taxation in South Korea, and Active labor market policy in South Korea

Government expenditure in South Korea accounted for 35% of its GDP. From the 1960s to the 1980s, when Korea's economic development was concentrated, the government's finances were mainly focused on economic development. The proportion of government finances devoted to social development was relatively insignificant. The government's fiscal scale gradually expanded with the consolidated fiscal balance reaching 23.1% of South Korea GDP by 1981, but the government implemented a strong fiscal austerity policy aimed at economic stability, and the relative fiscal scale shrank significantly to the 15% range. Although targeted price stability was achieved, reduced government finance could not fulfill its original function, and the social development sector, which was relatively out of interest in government expenditure, was hit hard. Under these circumstances, the expansionary fiscal stance has been promoted "for the normalization of fiscal functions" since the 1990s.

During the Kim Young-sam administration, taxes were increased to support expansionary finances. This also led to an increase in welfare expenditure. The Kim Dae Jung administration established a welfare system by introducing the National Basic Livelihood Security System, while the Roh Moo Hyun administration set an annual welfare expenditure growth rate of 10% and tried to allocate budgets to the welfare sector first.

However, in 2008, the Lee Myung Bak government implemented a tax reduction policy that significantly lowered the tax rates of income tax, corporate tax, and comprehensive real estate holding tax. Park Geun Hye administration adopted ‘no-tax increase’ policy stance, continuing the Lee Myung Bak administration's tax reduction stance.

In the 2010s, the role of government in the national economy is growing, with increasing government expenditure to support an increasing aging population. But the growth rate of the national budget varies across administrations, reflecting shifts in fiscal policy between expansionary and austerity stances. Under the Moon Jae-in administration, the 'year-on-year growth rate of the national budget' steadily increased after its inauguration in 2017, reaching nearly 9% from 2019 onward. However, with the transition to the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, the growth rate slowed to around 5% and further declined to approximately 2.5% in 2025 budget. Lee Jae-myung administration has allocated a record-high budget of 728 trillion KRW for 2026, with the year-on-year growth rate rising again to around 8%.

Data

The following table shows the main economic indicators in 1980–2021 (with IMF staff estimates in 2022–2027). Inflation below 5% is in green.

Year	GDP (in Bil. US$PPP)	GDP per capita (in US$ PPP)	GDP (in Bil. US$nominal)	GDP per capita (in US$ nominal)	GDP growth (real)	Inflation rate (in Percent)	Unemployment (in Percent)	Government debt (in % of GDP)
1980	82.7	2,169.4	65.4	1,714.6	-1.6%	28.7%	5.2%	n/a
1981	97.1	2,507.3	72.9	1,883.5	7.2%	21.4%	4.5%	n/a
1982	111.7	2,839.9	78.3	1,992.3	8.3%	7.2%	4.1%	n/a
1983	131.6	3,296.9	87.8	2,198.9	13.4%	3.4%	4.1%	n/a
1984	150.7	3,730.0	97.5	2,413.3	10.6%	2.3%	3.9%	n/a
1985	167.7	4,109.0	101.3	2,482.4	7.8%	2.5%	4.0%	n/a
1986	190.4	4,620.3	116.8	2,834.9	11.3%	2.8%	3.8%	n/a
1987	220.0	5,284.7	147.9	3,554.6	12.7%	3.0%	3.1%	n/a
1988	255.0	6,067.2	199.6	4,748.7	12.0%	7.1%	2.5%	n/a
1989	283.8	6,684.6	246.9	5,817.1	7.1%	5.7%	2.6%	n/a
1990	323.5	7,545.1	283.4	6,610.0	9.9%	8.6%	2.5%	3.2%
1991	370.4	8,555.9	330.7	7,637.2	10.8%	9.3%	2.5%	12.3%
1992	402.4	9,197.2	355.5	8,126.5	6.2%	6.2%	2.5%	12.0%
1993	440.2	9,961.0	392.7	8,886.4	6.9%	4.8%	2.9%	11.2%
1994	491.3	11,005.5	463.4	10,381.2	9.3%	6.3%	2.5%	10.0%
1995	549.8	12,193.2	566.6	12,565.0	9.6%	4.5%	2.1%	8.8%
1996	604.1	13,269.2	610.2	13,402.9	7.9%	4.9%	2.1%	8.1%
1997	652.4	14,197.2	570.6	12,416.8	6.2%	4.4%	2.6%	10.0%
1998	625.9	13,522.6	382.9	8,271.4	-5.1%	7.5%	7.0%	14.3%
1999	707.5	15,177.3	497.3	10,666.9	11.5%	0.8%	6.6%	16.3%
2000	789.1	16,786.6	576.5	12,263.5	9.1%	2.3%	4.4%	16.7%
2001	846.0	17,860.1	547.7	11,563.0	4.9%	4.1%	4.0%	17.2%
2002	925.6	19,427.1	627.0	13,159.7	7.7%	2.8%	3.3%	17.0%
2003	973.6	20,328.4	702.7	14,672.4	3.1%	3.5%	3.6%	19.8%
2004	1,051.7	21,872.1	792.5	16,482.8	5.2%	3.6%	3.7%	22.4%
2005	1,131.4	23,480.1	934.7	19,398.5	4.3%	2.8%	3.8%	25.9%
2006	1,227.7	25,345.4	1,052.6	21,731.0	5.3%	2.2%	3.5%	28.1%
2007	1,334.0	27,401.2	1,172.5	24,083.3	5.8%	2.5%	3.3%	27.4%
2008	1,400.5	28,550.5	1,049.2	21,387.7	3.0%	4.7%	3.2%	26.9%
2009	1,420.7	28,812.5	943.7	19,139.7	0.8%	2.8%	3.6%	30.0%
2010	1,535.6	30,988.3	1,143.6	23,077.2	6.8%	2.9%	3.7%	29.5%
2011	1,625.3	32,546.8	1,253.4	25,100.2	3.7%	4.0%	3.4%	33.1%
2012	1,684.6	33,557.1	1,278.0	25,459.2	2.4%	2.2%	3.2%	35.0%
2013	1,726.9	34,244.3	1,370.6	27,179.5	3.2%	1.3%	3.1%	37.7%
2014	1,792.6	35,324.5	1,484.5	29,252.9	3.2%	1.3%	3.5%	39.7%
2015	1,933.8	37,907.5	1,466.0	28,737.4	2.8%	0.7%	3.6%	40.8%
2016	2,026.5	39,567.0	1,499.4	29,274.2	2.9%	1.0%	3.7%	41.2%
2017	2,105.9	41,001.1	1,623.1	31,600.7	3.2%	1.9%	3.7%	40.1%
2018	2,218.9	43,014.2	1,725.4	33,447.2	2.9%	1.5%	3.8%	40.0%
2019	2,309.3	44,610.7	1,651.4	31,902.4	2.2%	0.4%	3.8%	42.1%
2020	2,320.5	44,766.3	1,644.7	31,728.3	-0.7%	0.5%	3.9%	48.7%
2021	2,517.1	48,653.1	1,811.0	35,003.8	4.1%	2.5%	3.7%	51.3%
2022	2,765.8	53,574.2	1,734.2	33,591.6	2.6%	5.5%	3.0%	54.1%
2023	3,123	56,709	1,709	33,147	2.0%	3.8%	3.4%	54.4%
2024	3,065.4	59,526.8	1,879.0	36,488.9	2.7%	2.3%	3.3%	55.2%

Annual real GDP per capita growth was 1.9% in 2024. Median disposable income was $31,882 PPP in 2021.

Economic inequality

This section is an excerpt from Economic inequality in South Korea.[edit]

According to data from 2010, low-income earners (those earning 12 million won or less) make up 37.8% of South Korea's labour force. Conversely, the highest income earners (those earning 100 million won or more) make up 1.4% of the labour force.

According to a survey in 2019, among young South Koreans, 89.3% of women and 81.7% of men agreed with the statement that "people born into poverty can never compete with [those] born into wealth".

Foreign trade

See also: Trade policy of South Korea, List of exports of South Korea, Free trade agreements of South Korea, Globalization in South Korea, and Korean Free Economic Zone

South Korea is ranked as one of the top-10 global exporter, driven by high-tech manufacturing, with semiconductors, automobiles, and shipbuilding as major industries. Key exports also include electronics, chemicals, steel, and machinery.

2021 top South Korean exports

Product	Percentage	Exports value
Integrated circuits	17.7%	$116 (in billion)
Cars	6.85%	$44.7 (in billion)
Refined petroleum	5.57%	$36.4 (in billion)
Motor vehicle parts	2.95%	$19.3 (in billion)
Office machine parts	2.76%	$18 (in billion)
Passenger and cargo ships	2.71%	$17.71 (in billion)
Telephones	2.46%	$16.1 (in billion)
Machinery	1.78%	$11.6 (in billion)
Blank audio media	1.66%	$10.8 (in billion)
Others	55.6%	$362.39 (in billion)

2021 top South Korean imports

Product	Percentage	Imports value
Crude petroleum	10.5%	$60.6 (in billion)
Integrated circuits	8.21%	$41.4 (in billion)
Petroleum gas	4.25%	$24.5 (in billion)
Refined petroleum	4.2%	$24.3 (in billion)
Photo lab equipment	2.88%	$16.6 (in billion)
Coal briquettes	2.27%	$13.1 (in billion)
Cars	2.09%	$12 (in billion)
Machinery	1.37%	$7.9 (in billion)
Computers	1.32%	$7.6 (in billion)
Others	62.91%	$370 (in billion)

2018 Top 10 export partners Country/Region Export (M$) Percentage China 162,125 26.8% United States 72,720 12.0% Vietnam 48,622 8.0% Hong Kong 45,996 7.6% Japan 30,529 5.1% Russia 20,872 3.4% Taiwan 20,784 3.2% India 15,606 2.6% Philippines 12,037 2.0% Singapore 11,782 2.0% Mexico 11,458 1.9% Others 173,201 28.6% Total 604,860 100.0%

2018 Top 10 import partners Country/Region Import (M$) Percentage China 106,489 19.9% United States 58,868 11.0% Japan 54,604 10.2% Saudi Arabia 26,336 4.9% Germany 20,854 3.9% Australia 20,719 3.9% Vietnam 19,643 3.7% Russia 17,504 3.4% Taiwan 16,738 3.1% Qatar 16,294 3.0% Singapore 12,762 2.0% Others 177,153 33.1% Total 535,202 100.0%

2018 Top 10 positive balance (surplus) countries for South Korea Country/Region Balance (M$) China 55,636 Hong Kong 43,999 Vietnam 28,979 United States 13,852 India 9,722 Philippines 8,468 Mexico 6,368 Turkey 4,791 Taiwan 4,045 Singapore 3,808 Others −110,011 Total 69,657

2018 Top 10 negative balance (deficit) countries for South Korea Country Balance (M$) Japan −24,075 Saudi Arabia −22,384 Qatar −15,768 Kuwait −11,541 Germany −11,481 Australia −11,108 Russia −10,183 Iraq −7,658 United Arab Emirates −4,699 Chile −2,667 Others 191,221 Total 69,657

Mergers and acquisitions

Since 1991, there has been a steady upward trend in South Korean M&A until 2018 with only a short break around 2004. Since 1991, around 18,300 deals in, into or out of South Korea have been announced, which sum up to a total value of over 941 bil. USD. 2016 has been the year with the largest deal value (1,818 in bil. USD) and the most deals (82,3).

Target industries are distributed very evenly with no industry taking a larger share than 10%. The top three target industries are electronics (9.7%), semiconductors (9.1%) and metals and mining (7.7%). However, over 51% of the acquiring companies originate from the financial and brokerage sector.

See also

• Four Asian Tigers
• List of companies of South Korea
• List of largest companies of South Korea
• List of South Korean billionaires by net worth
• List of South Korean regions by GDP
• Corruption in South Korea
• Economic inequality in South Korea
• Minimum wage in South Korea
• Poverty in South Korea
• Trade unions in South Korea
• Unemployment in South Korea
• Youth unemployment in South Korea
• Work–life balance in South Korea
• Foreign worker legislation in South Korea
• Small and medium-sized enterprises in South Korea
• South Korea and the International Monetary Fund
• South Korea and the World Bank
• Korea discount

Sources

• Kim, Youna (5 November 2013), "Introduction: Korean media in a digital cosmopolitan world", in Kim, Youna (ed.), The Korean Wave: Korean Media Go Global, London: Routledge, pp. 1–27, doi:10.4324/9781315859064, ISBN 978-1-315-85906-4
• Walsh, John (20 February 2014), "Hallyu as a Government Construct: The Korean Wave in the Context of Economic and Social Development", in Kuwahara, Yasue (ed.), The Korean Wave: Korean Popular Culture in Global Context, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 13–31, doi:10.1057/9781137350282_2, ISBN 978-1-137-35027-5

Further reading

• Koh, Jae Myong (2018) Green Infrastructure Financing: Institutional Investors, PPPs and Bankable Projects, London: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-3-319-71769-2.
• Lee-Jay Cho; Somi Seong; Sang-Hyop Lee, eds. (2007). Institutional and Policy Reforms to Enhance Corporate Efficiency in Korea. Seoul: Korea Development Institute. ISBN 978-89-8063-305-0.
• O. Yul Kwon (2010). The Korean Economy in Transition: An Institutional Perspective. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar. ISBN 978-1-84064-268-1.
• T. Youn-Ja Shim, ed. (2010). Korean Entrepreneurship: The Foundation of the Korean Economy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-230-10707-6. Essays on such topics as American-educated technocrats in the 1960s and their role in South Korea's economic growth, and entrepreneurial family companies in South Korea, as well as China and Japan.

External links

• Statistics Korea
• Ministry of Economy and Finance (South Korea)
• Korea Customs Service
• Bank Of Korea Archived 17 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine
• Korea Development Institute
• Korea Institute for International Economic Policy
• World Bank Summary Trade Statistics South Korea
• South Korea – OECD
• South Korea profile at the CIA World Factbook
• South Korea profile at The World Bank