Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Republic of Korea

Republic of Korea: Armed forces personnel, total, per capita was 0.011 units per person in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
0.011 units per person
Change on year
down 7.3%
World rank
18th
of 173 countries
All-time high
0.0173 units per person
in 1991
All-time low
0.011 units per person
in 2020
Years of data
33
1985–2020

Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Republic of Korea, 1985–2020

00.0050.010.0151985200220201985: 0.015 units per person1989: 0.015 units per person1990: 0.015 units per person1991: 0.017 units per person1992: 0.017 units per person1993: 0.017 units per person1994: 0.017 units per person1995: 0.014 units per person1996: 0.015 units per person1997: 0.015 units per person1998: 0.015 units per person1999: 0.015 units per person2000: 0.015 units per person2001: 0.015 units per person2002: 0.014 units per person2003: 0.014 units per person2004: 0.014 units per person2005: 0.014 units per person2006: 0.014 units per person2007: 0.014 units per person2008: 0.014 units per person2009: 0.013 units per person2010: 0.013 units per person2011: 0.013 units per person2012: 0.013 units per person2013: 0.013 units per person2014: 0.012 units per person2015: 0.012 units per person2016: 0.012 units per person2017: 0.012 units per person2018: 0.012 units per person2019: 0.012 units per person2020: 0.011 units per person

Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per person.

Analysis

The most recent figure for armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Republic of Korea is 0.011 units per person, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 33 years on record.

The figure is down 7.3% on the previous year and down 17.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Republic of Korea peaked at 0.0173 units per person in 1991 and was at its lowest, 0.011 units per person, in 2020.

Republic of Korea ranks 18th of 173 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 33 years of available data.

Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Republic of Korea, year by year

Annual values for Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Republic of Korea, 1985 to 2020.
Year units per person Change
1985 0.0147 units per person
1989 0.0152 units per person +4.0%
1990 0.0152 units per person -0.5%
1991 0.0173 units per person +14.2%
1992 0.0171 units per person -1.0%
1993 0.017 units per person -1.0%
1994 0.0168 units per person -1.0%
1995 0.0142 units per person -15.4%
1996 0.0147 units per person +3.2%
1997 0.0147 units per person +0.3%
1998 0.0146 units per person -0.7%
1999 0.0145 units per person -0.7%
2000 0.0146 units per person +0.8%
2001 0.0145 units per person -0.8%
2002 0.0145 units per person -0.1%
2003 0.0144 units per person -0.5%
2004 0.0145 units per person +0.4%
2005 0.0144 units per person -0.6%
2006 0.0143 units per person -0.7%
2007 0.0142 units per person -0.5%
2008 0.0141 units per person -0.8%
2009 0.0134 units per person -5.2%
2010 0.0133 units per person -0.5%
2011 0.0132 units per person -0.8%
2012 0.0131 units per person -0.5%
2013 0.0131 units per person -0.5%
2014 0.0125 units per person -4.7%
2015 0.0124 units per person -0.2%
2016 0.0124 units per person -0.5%
2017 0.0123 units per person -0.3%
2018 0.0118 units per person -4.5%
2019 0.0118 units per person +0.5%
2020 0.011 units per person -7.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.0149 units per person 0.0147 units per person 0.0152 units per person 2
1990s 0.0156 units per person 0.0142 units per person 0.0173 units per person 10
2000s 0.0143 units per person 0.0134 units per person 0.0146 units per person 10
2010s 0.0126 units per person 0.0118 units per person 0.0133 units per person 10
2020s 0.011 units per person 0.011 units per person 0.011 units per person 1

Countries ranked near Republic of Korea

  1. 15 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 0.0121 units per person compare
  2. 16 Djibouti 0.0118 units per person compare
  3. 17 Cambodia 0.0114 units per person compare
  4. 19 Iraq 0.0109 units per person compare
  5. 20 Jordan 0.0107 units per person compare
  6. 21 Oman 0.0104 units per person compare

See the full ranking of 219 places →

More public sector data for Republic of Korea

All data for Republic of Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Republic of Korea?
Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Republic of Korea was 0.011 units per person in 2020, according to Statizoid (derived).
What is the highest armed forces personnel, total, per capita recorded in Republic of Korea?
The highest recorded value was 0.0173 units per person in 1991.
What is the lowest armed forces personnel, total, per capita recorded in Republic of Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 0.011 units per person in 2020.
How does Republic of Korea rank for armed forces personnel, total, per capita?
Republic of Korea ranks 18th out of 173 countries with data for 2020.
Is armed forces personnel, total, per capita rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
Over the last ten years it is down 17.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Armed forces personnel, total, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Armed forces personnel, total, per capita in Republic of Korea. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/armed-forces-personnel-total-per-capita/korea-rep/

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How this figure is calculated

Armed forces personnel, total divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.

Armed forces personnel, total ÷ Population, total

Computed from

Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.

About this data

Indicator
Armed forces personnel, total, per capita
Unit
units per person
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
219 places, 6,823 data points, 1985–2020
Last refreshed

Armed forces personnel, total divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.