Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita in South Korea
South Korea: Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita was 19.5 SIPRI trend indicator values per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
19.5 SIPRI trend indicator values per person
Change on year
up 362.5%
World rank
34th
of 172 countries
All-time high
43.6 SIPRI trend indicator values per person
in 1996
All-time low
2.88 SIPRI trend indicator values per person
in 1970
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita in South Korea, 1960–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in SIPRI trend indicator values per person.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 19.5 SIPRI trend indicator values per person for arms imports (sipri trend indicator values), per capita in 2024.
The figure is up 362.5% on the previous year and up 33.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arms imports (sipri trend indicator values), per capita in South Korea peaked at 43.6 SIPRI trend indicator values per person in 1996 and was at its lowest, 2.88 SIPRI trend indicator values per person, in 1970.
South Korea ranks 34th of 172 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita in South Korea, year by year
| Year | SIPRI trend indicator values per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 8 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | — |
| 1961 | 6.99 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -12.6% |
| 1962 | 4.98 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -28.7% |
| 1963 | 7.85 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +57.7% |
| 1964 | 10.08 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +28.4% |
| 1965 | 22.02 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +118.5% |
| 1966 | 19.4 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -11.9% |
| 1967 | 4.31 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -77.8% |
| 1968 | 11.41 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +164.6% |
| 1969 | 18.32 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +60.5% |
| 1970 | 2.88 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -84.3% |
| 1971 | 7.39 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +156.2% |
| 1972 | 12.12 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +64.0% |
| 1973 | 7.68 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -36.6% |
| 1974 | 12.97 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +68.8% |
| 1975 | 18.51 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +42.7% |
| 1976 | 15.48 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -16.4% |
| 1977 | 32.9 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +112.5% |
| 1978 | 10.79 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -67.2% |
| 1979 | 35.25 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +226.6% |
| 1980 | 23 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -34.7% |
| 1981 | 22.52 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 17.11 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -24.0% |
| 1983 | 12.43 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -27.4% |
| 1984 | 12.97 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +4.3% |
| 1985 | 18.72 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +44.4% |
| 1986 | 21.09 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +12.6% |
| 1987 | 18.86 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -10.6% |
| 1988 | 29.72 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +57.6% |
| 1989 | 43.56 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +46.6% |
| 1990 | 28.32 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -35.0% |
| 1991 | 21.27 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -24.9% |
| 1992 | 18.17 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -14.6% |
| 1993 | 23.17 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +27.5% |
| 1994 | 23.05 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 43.58 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +89.1% |
| 1996 | 43.6 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 26.77 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -38.6% |
| 1998 | 30.64 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +14.5% |
| 1999 | 35.09 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +14.6% |
| 2000 | 29.76 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -15.2% |
| 2001 | 16.34 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -45.1% |
| 2002 | 10.91 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -33.2% |
| 2003 | 15.74 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +44.3% |
| 2004 | 21.94 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +39.4% |
| 2005 | 16.67 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -24.0% |
| 2006 | 34.27 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +105.6% |
| 2007 | 35.54 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +3.7% |
| 2008 | 34.47 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 16.18 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -53.1% |
| 2010 | 26.21 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +62.0% |
| 2011 | 31.4 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +19.8% |
| 2012 | 21.45 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -31.7% |
| 2013 | 3.75 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -82.5% |
| 2014 | 14.62 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +290.1% |
| 2015 | 5.25 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -64.1% |
| 2016 | 20.27 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +285.8% |
| 2017 | 18.73 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -7.6% |
| 2018 | 19.97 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +6.6% |
| 2019 | 31.01 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +55.3% |
| 2020 | 24.56 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -20.8% |
| 2021 | 15.68 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -36.1% |
| 2022 | 8.19 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -47.8% |
| 2023 | 4.22 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | -48.5% |
| 2024 | 19.5 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | +362.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 19.5 SIPRI trend indicator values per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 17.66 SIPRI trend indicator values per person, 1.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 19.5 SIPRI trend indicator values per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.1 SIPRI trend indicator values per person, 6.3× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | +362.5% | 4.22 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 19.5 SIPRI trend indicator values per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 11.34 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 4.31 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 22.02 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 15.6 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 2.88 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 35.25 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 22 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 12.43 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 43.56 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.37 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 18.17 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 43.6 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.18 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 10.91 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 35.54 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.27 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 3.75 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 31.4 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.43 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 4.22 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 24.56 SIPRI trend indicator values per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 31 Serbia 23.23 SIPRI trend indicator values per person compare
- 32 Israel 21.1 SIPRI trend indicator values per person compare
- 33 Netherlands 20.01 SIPRI trend indicator values per person compare
- 35 Suriname 18.91 SIPRI trend indicator values per person compare
- 36 Namibia 17.82 SIPRI trend indicator values per person compare
- 37 Lithuania 17.66 SIPRI trend indicator values per person compare
More public sector data for South Korea
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Democracy 7 (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is arms imports (sipri trend indicator values), per capita in South Korea?
- Arms imports (sipri trend indicator values), per capita in South Korea was 19.5 SIPRI trend indicator values per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest arms imports (sipri trend indicator values), per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 43.6 SIPRI trend indicator values per person in 1996.
- What is the lowest arms imports (sipri trend indicator values), per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.88 SIPRI trend indicator values per person in 1970.
- How does South Korea rank for arms imports (sipri trend indicator values), per capita?
- South Korea ranks 34th out of 172 countries with data for 2024.
- Is arms imports (sipri trend indicator values), per capita rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Arms imports Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
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
Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.