Armed forces personnel in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Armed forces personnel was 2.0% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Armed forces personnel in Republic of Korea, 1990–2020
Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
In 2020, armed forces personnel in Republic of Korea stood at 2.0%. That is the lowest value across all 31 years on record.
The figure is down 6.5% on the previous year and down 24.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in Republic of Korea peaked at 3.9% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 2020.
That places Republic of Korea 28th out of 171 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Armed forces personnel in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3.4% | — |
| 1991 | 3.9% | +11.9% |
| 1992 | 3.8% | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 3.7% | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 3.6% | -2.8% |
| 1995 | 3.0% | -16.5% |
| 1996 | 3.1% | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 3.0% | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 3.1% | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 3.1% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 3.0% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 3.0% | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 3.0% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 3.0% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 2.9% | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 2.9% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 2.9% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 2.8% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 2.7% | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 2.6% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 2.6% | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 2.5% | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 2.5% | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | -6.5% |
| 2015 | 2.3% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 2.3% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 2.3% | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 2.2% | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 2.1% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 2.0% | -6.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.4% | 3.0% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.9% | 2.7% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 2.1% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Republic of Korea
- 25 Oman 2.1% compare
- 26 Morocco 2.1% compare
- 27 Cambodia 2.0% compare
- 29 Mauritania 2.0% compare
- 30 North Macedonia 2.0% compare
- 31 Russian Federation 2.0% compare
More public sector data for Republic of Korea
- Arms imports 1.01 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 19.5 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0005 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 362.84 % change on previous year (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), gaps filled 1.01 billion SIPRI trend indicator values (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per capita 919.23 current USD per person (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), per unit of GDP 0.0254 current USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), annual growth rate -0.4824 % change on previous year (2024)
- Military expenditure (current USD), gaps filled 47.57 billion current USD (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per square kilometre 2,234 SIPRI trend indicator values per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is armed forces personnel in Republic of Korea?
- Armed forces personnel in Republic of Korea was 2.0% in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
- What is the highest armed forces personnel recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3.9% in 1991.
- What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 2020.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for armed forces personnel?
- Republic of Korea ranks 28th out of 171 countries with data for 2020.
- Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
- The figures come from The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, published as part of Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if the training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces. Labor force comprises all people who meet the International Labour Organization's definition of the economically active population.