South Korea vs Vietnam: Military expenditure (current LCU)
South Korea
67.92 trillion current LCU
in 2025
Vietnam
272.72 trillion current LCU
in 2025
South Korea rank
6th
Vietnam rank
3rd
Military expenditure (current LCU) over time
- South Korea
- Vietnam
How they compare
Vietnam currently reports 272.72 trillion current LCU against 67.92 trillion current LCU in South Korea, a difference of 204.79 trillion current LCU.
That makes Vietnam's figure about 4.0 times South Korea's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 31 shared years of data; in 1987 it was South Korea ahead.
South Korea ranks 6th and Vietnam ranks 3rd of 168 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, South Korea averaged higher in 2 and Vietnam in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Korea | Vietnam | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5.66 trillion current LCU | 980.67 billion current LCU | 4.68 trillion current LCU | South Korea |
| 1990s | 9.01 trillion current LCU | 3.85 trillion current LCU | 5.16 trillion current LCU | South Korea |
| 2000s | 24.56 trillion current LCU | 25.12 trillion current LCU | 565.49 billion current LCU | Vietnam |
| 2010s | 40.75 trillion current LCU | 118.36 trillion current LCU | 77.62 trillion current LCU | Vietnam |
| 2020s | 61.28 trillion current LCU | 195.85 trillion current LCU | 134.57 trillion current LCU | Vietnam |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher military expenditure, South Korea or Vietnam?
- Vietnam, at 272.72 trillion current LCU against 67.92 trillion current LCU in South Korea as of 2025.
- What is the difference in military expenditure between South Korea and Vietnam?
- 204.79 trillion current LCU, with Vietnam ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and Vietnam?
- 31 years are reported by both, from 1987 to 2025.
- How do South Korea and Vietnam rank globally for military expenditure?
- South Korea ranks 6th and Vietnam ranks 3rd of 168 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as Military expenditure (current LCU). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)