Korea, Rep. — GDP growth
GDP Growth (Annual %) for Korea, Rep., 1961–2025.
GDP growth for Korea, Rep. was 1.01% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 14.97% in 1973. The lowest was -4.94% in 1998 (about -4.9× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -2.97% per year.
Korea, Rep. ranks 174 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 82%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 3.62%, so Korea, Rep. sits below it. It peaked in 1973 and has fallen 93% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 66%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 32 of 36 economies; Brunei Darussalam (0.67%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 759% in 2021. That is 58% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1969.
World ranking. Slipped: 28th of 107 in 1961 → 22nd of 119 in 1970 → 121st of 152 in 1980 → 15th of 176 in 1990 → 19th of 199 in 2000 → 45th of 209 in 2010 → 49th of 209 in 2020 → 159th of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.01% | -1.0 pp |
| 2024 | 2% | +0.4 pp |
| 2023 | 1.58% | -1.1 pp |
| 2022 | 2.73% | -1.9 pp |
| 2021 | 4.61% | +5.3 pp |
| 2020 | -0.7% | -3.0 pp |
| 2019 | 2.31% | -0.9 pp |
| 2018 | 3.18% | -0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 3.43% | +0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 3.17% | +0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 2.92% | -0.3 pp |
| 2014 | 3.21% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 3.29% | +0.7 pp |
| 2012 | 2.55% | -1.1 pp |
| 2011 | 3.69% | -3.3 pp |
| 2010 | 6.98% | +6.2 pp |
| 2009 | 0.82% | -2.2 pp |
| 2008 | 3% | -2.8 pp |
| 2007 | 5.84% | +0.6 pp |
| 2006 | 5.25% | +0.9 pp |
| 2005 | 4.36% | -0.8 pp |
| 2004 | 5.18% | +2.1 pp |
| 2003 | 3.07% | -4.7 pp |
| 2002 | 7.74% | +3.0 pp |
| 2001 | 4.73% | -4.5 pp |
| 2000 | 9.2% | -2.4 pp |
| 1999 | 11.62% | +16.6 pp |
| 1998 | -4.94% | -11.2 pp |
| 1997 | 6.28% | -1.7 pp |
| 1996 | 7.99% | -1.7 pp |
| 1995 | 9.74% | +0.4 pp |
| 1994 | 9.37% | +2.4 pp |
| 1993 | 6.99% | +0.6 pp |
| 1992 | 6.35% | -4.5 pp |
| 1991 | 10.87% | +0.9 pp |
| 1990 | 10.02% | +2.9 pp |
| 1989 | 7.17% | -5.0 pp |
| 1988 | 12.13% | -0.8 pp |
| 1987 | 12.89% | +1.4 pp |
| 1986 | 11.5% | +3.6 pp |
| 1985 | 7.94% | -2.7 pp |
| 1984 | 10.64% | -2.8 pp |
| 1983 | 13.47% | +5.0 pp |
| 1982 | 8.47% | +1.1 pp |
| 1981 | 7.4% | +8.9 pp |
| 1980 | -1.52% | -10.3 pp |
| 1979 | 8.74% | -2.3 pp |
| 1978 | 11.07% | -1.3 pp |
| 1977 | 12.38% | -0.9 pp |
| 1976 | 13.26% | +5.3 pp |
| 1975 | 7.93% | -1.7 pp |
| 1974 | 9.65% | -5.3 pp |
| 1973 | 14.97% | +7.6 pp |
| 1972 | 7.34% | -3.3 pp |
| 1971 | 10.65% | +0.5 pp |
| 1970 | 10.17% | -4.4 pp |
| 1969 | 14.59% | +1.4 pp |
| 1968 | 13.22% | +4.1 pp |
| 1967 | 9.15% | -2.9 pp |
| 1966 | 12.01% | +4.7 pp |
| 1965 | 7.31% | -2.1 pp |
| 1964 | 9.43% | +0.4 pp |
| 1963 | 9.01% | +5.1 pp |
| 1962 | 3.92% | -3.0 pp |
| 1961 | 6.92% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Korea, Rep.’s GDP growth in 1962?
3.92% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Korea, Rep.’s GDP growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -85.4% in total — about 3.0% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 1.01%; 2024: 2%; 2023: 1.58%; 2022: 2.73%; 2021: 4.61%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG — GDP Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.