South Korea vs Low & middle income: Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure)
South Korea
10.8%
in 2025
Low & middle income
5.8%
in 2024
South Korea rank
31st
Low & middle income rank
29th
Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure) over time
- South Korea
- Low & middle income
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 10.8% against 5.8% in Low & middle income, a difference of 5.0%.
That makes South Korea's figure about 1.8 times Low & middle income's.
Across all 26 years both countries report, South Korea has been ahead every year.
South Korea ranks 31st and Low & middle income ranks 29th of 164 countries.
South Korea has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Korea | Low & middle income | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.5% | 9.9% | 4.6% | South Korea |
| 2000s | 12.8% | 7.8% | 5.0% | South Korea |
| 2010s | 12.6% | 5.9% | 6.7% | South Korea |
| 2020s | 10.8% | 5.6% | 5.2% | South Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher military expenditure, South Korea or Low & middle income?
- South Korea, at 10.8% against 5.8% in Low & middle income as of 2025.
- What is the difference in military expenditure between South Korea and Low & middle income?
- 5.0%, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and Low & middle income?
- 26 years are reported by both, from 1999 to 2024.
- How do South Korea and Low & middle income rank globally for military expenditure?
- South Korea ranks 31st and Low & middle income ranks 29th of 164 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), published as Military expenditure (% of general government expenditure). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Military expenditure expressed as a percentage of general government expenditure