South Korea GDP
South Korea's gross domestic product (GDP) was $1,882.0 billion in 2025, up $2.1 billion from 2024. The record high was $1,943.1 billion in 2021. It was $1.3 billion in 1953: a rise of about 1,396 times in current dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
1953–2025 (US$ billion)
Data table
| Year | GDP, US$ billion |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,882.0 |
| 2024 | 1,879.9 |
| 2023 | 1,844.3 |
| 2022 | 1,802.1 |
| 2021 | 1,943.1 |
| 2020 | 1,744.4 |
| 2019 | 1,750.6 |
| 2018 | 1,824.0 |
| 2017 | 1,710.4 |
| 2016 | 1,579.5 |
| 2015 | 1,538.5 |
| 2014 | 1,555.7 |
| 2013 | 1,434.6 |
| 2012 | 1,335.3 |
| 2011 | 1,307.3 |
| 2010 | 1,193.0 |
| 2009 | 983.5 |
| 2008 | 1,091.0 |
| 2007 | 1,221.0 |
| 2006 | 1,094.4 |
| 2005 | 971.6 |
| 2004 | 823.7 |
| 2003 | 728.4 |
| 2002 | 649.9 |
| 2001 | 567.6 |
| 2000 | 597.7 |
| 1999 | 515.4 |
| 1998 | 398.0 |
| 1997 | 589.3 |
| 1996 | 630.9 |
| 1995 | 586.5 |
| 1994 | 479.1 |
| 1993 | 405.7 |
| 1992 | 366.8 |
| 1991 | 340.7 |
| 1990 | 292.0 |
| 1989 | 254.3 |
| 1988 | 205.7 |
| 1987 | 152.3 |
| 1986 | 120.0 |
| 1985 | 103.7 |
| 1984 | 99.7 |
| 1983 | 89.6 |
| 1982 | 79.9 |
| 1981 | 74.3 |
| 1980 | 66.5 |
| 1979 | 65.8 |
| 1978 | 54.8 |
| 1977 | 39.1 |
| 1976 | 30.4 |
| 1975 | 22.1 |
| 1974 | 19.9 |
| 1973 | 14.1 |
| 1972 | 11.0 |
| 1971 | 9.6 |
| 1970 | 8.2 |
| 1969 | 6.9 |
| 1968 | 5.4 |
| 1967 | 4.4 |
| 1966 | 3.8 |
| 1965 | 3.1 |
| 1964 | 3.0 |
| 1963 | 2.8 |
| 1962 | 2.4 |
| 1961 | 2.2 |
| 1960 | 2.0 |
| 1959 | 2.0 |
| 1958 | 1.9 |
| 1957 | 1.7 |
| 1956 | 1.5 |
| 1955 | 1.4 |
| 1954 | 1.5 |
| 1953 | 1.3 |
Context
Gross domestic product (GDP) is the value of everything produced in a country in a year. The figures here are in current US dollars, converted at each year's average exchange rate and not adjusted for inflation, so they reflect prices and the value of the won (원) as well as real output. For growth with inflation taken out, see the GDP growth rate.
South Korea's economy was worth $1.3 billion in 1953. It passed $10 billion in 1972, $100 billion in 1985, $500 billion in 1995 and $1 trillion in 2006.
The largest setback came in the Asian financial crisis: GDP in dollars fell from $589.3 billion in 1997 to $398.0 billion in 1998 as the won lost value, and was back above its 1997 level by 2000.
The record is $1,943.1 billion, set in 2021. With a weaker won, the dollar figure has been between $1,800 billion and $1,900 billion in each year since.