In 2023, South Korea's nominal gross domestic product (GDP) reached approximately 2,401 trillion South Korean won, while North Korea's amounted to about 40.2 trillion South Korean won. Consequently, South Korea's nominal GDP was approximately 60 times larger than that of North Korea during that year. Moreover, North Korea's GDP growth has been notably minimal when compared to that of South Korea.North Korea's economic development North Korea's economy is centered around its capital city and military, with particular emphasis on the expansion of its nuclear capabilities in recent decades. Roughly 98 percent of foreign trade has been with China in the past decade, from whom North Korea imports large volume of mechanical and electronic goods. Food shortages, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, are a reoccurring issue for North Korea, as poor harvests, international sanctions, and a downturn in inter-Korean trade have created sourcing problems - the full extent of this issue remains unknown, but it is estimated that almost half the population is undernourished. Kaesong Industrial ComplexThe Kaesong Industrial Complex project began in 2000 and was a crucial part of South Korea's efforts to improve relations with North Korea. It aimed to foster cooperation between the two Koreas and promote stability in the region. The industrial park, located in Kaesong, North Korea, was intended to provide a platform for small and medium-sized South Korean companies. South Korea would provide the necessary capital and infrastructure, while North Korean workers would be tasked with manufacturing products, aiming to stimulate economic growth on both sides of the border. Unfortunately, the complex was affected by tensions between the two Koreas and shut down in 2016. It has not been reopened since.

In 2023, South Korea's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by about 1.4 percent compared to the previous year. North Korea's GDP growth rate stood at about 3.1 percent that year, achieving positive growth for the first time after experiencing a period of negative growth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2023, South Korea's gross national income (GNI) per capita was approximately 47.25 million South Korean won, while North Korea's GNI per capita was about 1.59 million won. South Korea's GNI per capita was almost 30 times higher than that of North Korea.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in South Korea was worth 1712.79 billion US dollars in 2023, according to official data from the World Bank. The GDP value of South Korea represents 1.62 percent of the world economy. This dataset provides - South Korea GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in North Korea expanded 3.10 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 over the same quarter of the previous year. This dataset provides - North Korea GDP Annual Growth Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In 2024, the population of South Korea was estimated to be about 51.75 million. The population of North Korea was approximately 25.87 million, which is roughly half the population of South Korea. Economic comparison between South and North Korea Following the Korean War (1950-1953), South Korea and North Korea pursued vastly different trajectories, not only politically but also economically. South Korea embraced capitalism and free market principles, which fueled its rapid economic growth and transformed it into one of the world's leading economies. In contrast, North Korea adopted a state-controlled, centrally planned economy, leading to isolation and economic stagnation. While South Korea's gross domestic product (GDP) reached around 2,401 trillion South Korean won in 2023, only about 40 trillion won was recorded for North Korea. Food crisis in North Korea North Korea has faced food insecurity for a long time, and this has been exacerbated in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was estimated that the country had a food shortage of around 860,000 metric tons in 2023. Although the North Korean government maintains a centrally planned economic system, food distribution has long been a problem, as an increasing number of North Korean defectors have reported that they have never received food from North Korean authorities.

In 2023, it was estimated that government services accounted for approximately 24 percent of North Korea's nominal gross domestic product (GDP), followed by agriculture, forestry, and fishing. According to the source, North Korea's real GDP experienced a year-on-year increase of about 3.1 percent.

The statistic shows gross domestic product (GDP) of South Korea from 1987 to 2023, with projections up until 2029. GDP or gross domestic product is the sum of all goods and services produced in a country in a year; it is a strong indicator of economic strength. In 2023, South Korea's GDP was around 1.71 trillion U.S. dollars. See global GDP for a global comparison.

South Korea’s economy

South Korea is doing quite well economically. It is among the leading export countries worldwide, it mainly exports electronics, automobiles and machinery. South Korea is also one of the leading import countries worldwide. Additionally, it is one of the leading countries with the largest proportion of global domestic product / GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). Its GDP has been increasing for the last few years, while the gross domestic product / GDP growth in South Korea has not been steady but increasing since 2009.

South Korea is an OECD member and a member of the G20 states. Among the latter, its GDP growth was higher than that of the United States or the European Union in 2013. South Korea is one of the fastest-growing economies worldwide. Its standard of living is also considered to be quite high, the unemployment rate, which is one key factor, has been at around 3 percent, give or take a few percentage points, for the past decade. As a comparison, the United States’ unemployment rate was almost twice, sometimes three times as high as in South Korea during the same period. As for employment, South Korea’s rate is almost the same as that of the United States or France, with more than 60 percent of employed persons in the population.

South Korea recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 51.50 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product in 2023. This dataset provides - South Korea Government Debt To GDP - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In 2023, the value of total exports of South Korea reached about 632 billion U.S. dollars, whereas that of North Korea was around 33 million dollars. Accordingly, South Korea's export increased while North Korea's export gradually decreased. While international sanctions against North Korea made exports more difficult, the gap between South and North Korean exports has widened steadily in the last years.

The gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in South Korea was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 8,215.6 U.S. dollars (+22.74 percent). After the seventh consecutive increasing year, the GDP per capita is estimated to reach 44,347.44 U.S. dollars and therefore a new peak in 2029. This indicator describes the gross domestic product per capita at current prices. Thereby the gross domestic product was first converted from national currency to U.S. dollars at current exchange prices and then divided by the total population. The gross domestic products is a measure of a country's productivity. It refers to the total value of goods and service produced during a given time period (here a year).Find more key insights for the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in countries like Mongolia, Japan, and Taiwan.

This dataset provides values for GDP reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

In 1800, it is estimated that approximately 9.4 million people lived in the region of modern-day South Korea (and 13.8 million on the entire peninsula). The population of this region would remain fairly constant through much of the 19th century, but would begin to grow gradually starting in the mid-1800s, as the fall of the Joseon dynasty and pressure from the U.S. and Japan would end centuries of Korean isolationism. Following the opening of the country to foreign trade, the Korean peninsula would begin to modernize, and by the start of the 20th century, it would have a population of just over ten million. The Korean peninsula was then annexed by Japan in 1910, whose regime implemented industrialization and modernization policies that saw the population of South Korea rising from just under ten million in 1900, to over fifteen million by the start of the Second World War in 1939.

The Korean War Like most regions, the end of the Second World War coincided with a baby boom, that helped see South Korea's population grow by almost two million between 1945 and 1950. However, this boom would stop suddenly in the early 1950s, due to disruption caused by the Korean War. After WWII, the peninsula was split along the 38th parallel, with governments on both sides claiming to be the legitimate rulers of all Korea. Five years of tensions then culminated in North Korea's invasion of the South in June 1950, in the first major conflict of the Cold War. In September, the UN-backed South then repelled the Soviet- and Chinese-backed Northern army, and the frontlines would then fluctuate on either side of the 38th parallel throughout the next three years. The war came to an end in July, 1953, and had an estimated death toll of three million fatalities. The majority of fatalities were civilians on both sides, although the North suffered a disproportionate amount due to extensive bombing campaigns of the U.S. Unlike North Korea, the South's total population did not fall during the war.

Post-war South Korea Between the war's end and the late 1980s, the South's total population more than doubled. In these decades, South Korea was generally viewed as a nominal democracy under authoritarian and military leadership; it was not until 1988 when South Korea transitioned into a stable democracy, and grew its international presence. Much of South Korea's rapid socio-economic growth in the late 20th century was based on the West German model, and was greatly assisted by Japanese and U.S. investment. Today, South Korea is considered one of the world's wealthiest and most developed nations, ranking highly in terms of GDP, human development and life expectancy; it is home to some of the most valuable brands in the world, such as Samsung and Hyundai; and has a growing international cultural presence in music and cinema. In the past decades, South Korea's population growth has somewhat slowed, however it remains one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with total population of more than 51 million people.

The statistic shows the total population of South Korea from 2019 to 2023, with projections up until 2029. In 2023, the total population of South Korea was about 51.71 million people. Population of South Korea South Korea, also called Republic of Korea, has one of the highest population densities worldwide, i.e. a very high number of inhabitants per square kilometer. However, this does not equal bad standard of living; on the Human Development Index, which ranks countries by their level of living standards using key factors, such as unemployment rate, literacy rate, fertility and mortality rates, etc., South Korea is among the highest-ranked countries. When looking at the aforementioned key factors, South Korea indeed seems to offer a fairly stable environment for its inhabitants, economically and demographically: The country’s unemployment rate has been relatively steady for the past decade, its gross domestic product (GDP) is constantly increasing, and it is among the countries with the highest trade surplus worldwide. As for standard of living, life expectancy at birth in South Korea is among the highest worldwide – South Korea is even mentioned in a recent ranking of the best birthplaces for children. Despite the high population density, South Korea is now one of the countries with the lowest fertility rates, i.e. the number of babies born by women of childbearing age. This apparent discrepancy could be explained by a high number of immigrants coupled with the aforementioned high life expectancy.

Switzerland had the highest level of the Human Development Index (HDI) worldwide in 2022 with a value of 0.967. With a score of 0.966, Norway followed closely behind Switzerland and had the second highest level of human development in that year. The rise of the Asian tigers In the decades after the Cold War, the four so-called Asian tigers, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong (now a Special Administrative Region of China) experienced rapid economic growth and increasing human development. At number four and number nine of the HDI, respectively, Hong Kong and Singapore are the only Asian locations within the top 10 highest HDI scores. Both locations have experienced tremendous economic growth since the 1980’s and 1990’s. In 1980, the per capita GDP of Hong Kong was 5,703 U.S. dollars, increasing throughout the decades until reaching 50,029 in 2023, which is expected to continue to increase in the future. Meanwhile, in 1989, Singapore had a GDP of nearly 31 billion U.S. dollars, which has risen to nearly 501 billion U.S. dollars today and is also expected to keep increasing. Growth of the UAE The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the only Middle Eastern country besides Israel within the highest ranking HDI scores globally. Within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the UAE has the third largest GDP behind Saudi Arabia and Israel, reaching nearly 507 billion U.S. dollars by 2022. Per capita, the UAE GDP was around 21,142 U.S. dollars in 1989, and has nearly doubled to 43,438 U.S. dollars by 2021. Moreover, this is expected to reach over 67,538 U.S. dollars by 2029. On top of being a major oil producer, the UAE has become a hub for finance and business and attracts millions of tourists annually.

Im Jahr 2023 beträgt das Bruttoinlandsprodukt in Nordkorea geschätzt rund 32,3 Billionen Won, dies entspricht ca. 23,7 Milliarden US-Dollar*. Die Statistik zeigt das Bruttoinlandsprodukt (BIP) in Nordkorea von 2013 bis 2023 in südkoreanischen Won (KRW). Das Bruttoinlandsprodukt bezeichnet den Gesamtwert aller Waren und Dienstleistungen, die im betreffenden Jahr innerhalb der Landesgrenzen hergestellt wurden und dem Endverbrauch dienen. Es gilt als wichtiger Indikator für die Wirtschaftskraft eines Landes.Weitere, umfangreiche Informationen zur nordkoreanischen Wirtschaft, Gesellschaft und Nordkorea im internationalen Vergleich bieten die Themenseite oder dem Nordkorea-Report.