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Prices & public finance · East Asia & Pacific · High income
South Korea: prices, money and public finance
Inflation is 2.1% (2025), 119th of 180 in the world and 14th of 27 in East Asia & Pacific. GDP deflator is 3.1% (2025), 112th of 209 in the world and 16th of 36 in East Asia & Pacific. Lending rate is 4.2% (2025), 128th of 136 in the world and 22nd of 24 in East Asia & Pacific.
Inflation
South KoreaEast Asia & PacificHigh incomeWorld
GDP deflator
South KoreaEast Asia & PacificHigh incomeWorld
13 indicators
Prices & public finance: South Korea in detail
Latest reported value, world rank and rank within East Asia & Pacific; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.
| Indicator | Latest | World rank | In region | ~2000 | ~2010 | ~2020 | 10-year change | Region | Income group | World | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| InflationInflation, consumer prices, annual % | 2.1%2025 | 119/180 | 14/27 | 2.3% | 2.9% | 0.5% | +1.4 ppsince 2015 | 2.0% | 2.3% | 3.0% | |
| GDP deflatorInflation, GDP deflator, annual % | 3.1%2025 | 112/209 | 16/36 | 0.9% | 2.7% | 1.6% | −0.1 ppsince 2015 | 2.5% | 2.6% | 3.3% | |
| Lending rateLending interest rate, % | 4.2%2025 | 128/136 | 22/24 | 8.5% | 5.5% | 2.8% | +0.7 ppsince 2015 | — | — | — | |
| Real interest rateReal interest rate, % | 1.0%2025 | 110/136 | 20/24 | 7.5% | 2.7% | 1.2% | +0.7 ppsince 2015 | — | — | — | |
| Exchange rateOfficial exchange rate, local currency per US$ | 1,422.442025 | 21/210 | 6/36 | 1,130.36 | 1,156.46 | 1,180.27 | +26%since 2015 | — | — | — | |
| Tax revenueTax revenue, % of GDP | 13.3%2024 | 96/142 | 19/25 | 13.8% | 12.9% | 14.0% | +0.7 ppsince 2014 | 10.8% | 15.3% | 13.9% | |
| Government revenueGovernment revenue excluding grants, % of GDP | 25.8%2024 | 71/142 | 12/25 | 19.9% | 19.3% | 26.3% | +1.9 ppsince 2014 | 17.6% | 26.3% | 24.0% | |
| Government expenseGovernment expense, % of GDP | 28.3%2023 | 61/142 | 10/25 | 14.8% | 16.9% | 28.0% | +5.4 ppsince 2013 | — | 30.1% | 28.5% | |
| Government debtCentral government debt, % of GDP | 47.8%2024 | 44/78 | 10/17 | · | 31.0%2012 | 43.8% | +13.0 ppsince 2014 | — | — | — | |
| Private creditDomestic credit to private sector, % of GDP | 160.3%2024 | 5/169 | 4/25 | 69.2% | 124.7% | 154.7% | +34.9 ppsince 2014 | 175.5% | 152.1% | 140.3% | |
| Broad moneyBroad money, % of GDP | 162.7%2024 | 5/146 | 5/24 | 61.1% | 120.4% | 155.4% | +35.9 ppsince 2014 | 211.5% | 138.4% | 135.7% | |
| Reserves, months of importsTotal reserves in months of imports | 6.52025 | 43/165 | 12/24 | 5.8 | 6.5 | 9.4 | −18%since 2015 | 11.1 | 7.9 | 8.6 | |
| Military spendingMilitary expenditure, % of GDP | 2.60%2025 | 38/156 | 4/18 | 2.31% | 2.36% | 2.64% | +0.2 ppsince 2015 | 1.72% | 2.80% | 2.48% |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.
Better than ten years ago
No rated indicator improved over the decade.
Worse than ten years ago
- Inflation+1.4 pp2.1% in 2025
- Government debt+13.0 pp47.8% in 2024
- Reserves, months of imports−18%6.5 in 2025
Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).
neighbours
South Korea and its neighbours
Countries sharing a land border with South Korea. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.
| Indicator | South Korea | China | Japan | North Korea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inflation | 2.1%2025 | 0.1%2025 | 3.2%2025 | — |
| GDP deflator | 3.1%2025 | -0.9%2025 | 3.4%2025 | — |
| Lending rate | 4.2%2025 | 4.3%2024 | 1.0%2017 | — |
| Real interest rate | 1.0%2025 | 5.2%2024 | 1.0%2017 | — |
| Exchange rate | 1,422.442025 | 7.192025 | 149.662025 | — |
| Tax revenue | 13.3%2024 | 7.0%2024 | — | — |
| Government revenue | 25.8%2024 | 14.9%2024 | — | — |
| Government expense | 28.3%2023 | — | 20.1%2022 | — |
| Government debt | 47.8%2024 | — | — | — |