South Korea Manufacturing Share of the Economy
South Korea's manufacturing share of total value added was 29.9% in 2025, up 1.1 percentage points from 2024. The record high was 31.6% in 2011. It was 7.9% in 1953.
1953–2025 (% of gross value added)
Data table
| Year | Manufacturing Share of the Economy, % of gross value added |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 29.9 |
| 2024 | 28.8 |
| 2023 | 27.4 |
| 2022 | 28.9 |
| 2021 | 28.7 |
| 2020 | 28.0 |
| 2019 | 28.6 |
| 2018 | 30.2 |
| 2017 | 30.5 |
| 2016 | 29.9 |
| 2015 | 30.2 |
| 2014 | 30.7 |
| 2013 | 31.3 |
| 2012 | 31.3 |
| 2011 | 31.6 |
| 2010 | 30.8 |
| 2009 | 28.7 |
| 2008 | 28.6 |
| 2007 | 28.4 |
| 2006 | 28.2 |
| 2005 | 28.7 |
| 2004 | 29.0 |
| 2003 | 27.1 |
| 2002 | 27.5 |
| 2001 | 27.9 |
| 2000 | 29.4 |
| 1999 | 28.4 |
| 1998 | 28.0 |
| 1997 | 27.6 |
| 1996 | 27.7 |
| 1995 | 28.8 |
| 1994 | 28.2 |
| 1993 | 27.3 |
| 1992 | 27.2 |
| 1991 | 27.9 |
| 1990 | 27.8 |
| 1989 | 29.3 |
| 1988 | 30.5 |
| 1987 | 29.6 |
| 1986 | 28.3 |
| 1985 | 27.0 |
| 1984 | 27.4 |
| 1983 | 25.8 |
| 1982 | 24.4 |
| 1981 | 24.3 |
| 1980 | 24.5 |
| 1979 | 24.1 |
| 1978 | 23.5 |
| 1977 | 23.3 |
| 1976 | 23.6 |
| 1975 | 22.0 |
| 1974 | 22.5 |
| 1973 | 23.0 |
| 1972 | 20.0 |
| 1971 | 18.1 |
| 1970 | 18.9 |
| 1969 | 18.6 |
| 1968 | 18.7 |
| 1967 | 18.1 |
| 1966 | 17.8 |
| 1965 | 18.0 |
| 1964 | 14.9 |
| 1963 | 13.6 |
| 1962 | 12.6 |
| 1961 | 12.7 |
| 1960 | 12.3 |
| 1959 | 12.1 |
| 1958 | 11.0 |
| 1957 | 9.7 |
| 1956 | 10.4 |
| 1955 | 10.3 |
| 1954 | 10.4 |
| 1953 | 7.9 |
Context
This is manufacturing's share of gross value added, the total output of all industries, at current prices. It shows what kind of economy a country has.
In 1953 South Korea was a farming economy: agriculture, forestry and fishing made up 48.6% of output and manufacturing 7.9%. Factories then grew faster than everything else. Manufacturing reached 20% of output in 1972 and passed 30% in 1988.
It has stayed near that level since. The share peaked at 31.6% in 2011 and was 29.9% in 2025, while agriculture, forestry and fishing fell to 1.5% and services rose from 39.8% in 1953 to 61.2%.