Computer, communications and other services (%) … imports in South Korea
South Korea: Computer, communications and other services (%) … imports was 57.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Computer, communications and other services in South Korea, 1976–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for computer, communications and other services in South Korea is 57.4%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 2.8% on the previous year and up 18.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, computer, communications and other services in South Korea peaked at 59.3% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 31.4%, in 1991.
That places South Korea 28th out of 198 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Computer, communications and other services (%) … imports in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 32.8% | — |
| 1977 | 44.5% | +35.7% |
| 1978 | 50.8% | +14.2% |
| 1979 | 34.7% | -31.7% |
| 1980 | 33.5% | -3.4% |
| 1981 | 40.8% | +21.8% |
| 1982 | 39.4% | -3.6% |
| 1983 | 42.5% | +8.0% |
| 1984 | 41.8% | -1.8% |
| 1985 | 34.6% | -17.1% |
| 1986 | 34.0% | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 36.2% | +6.4% |
| 1988 | 34.1% | -5.7% |
| 1989 | 31.7% | -7.0% |
| 1990 | 32.6% | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 31.4% | -3.6% |
| 1992 | 32.2% | +2.6% |
| 1993 | 31.5% | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 33.9% | +7.7% |
| 1995 | 34.6% | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 37.3% | +7.8% |
| 1997 | 38.3% | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 44.8% | +16.7% |
| 1999 | 42.9% | -4.2% |
| 2000 | 42.7% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 39.9% | -6.6% |
| 2002 | 36.9% | -7.4% |
| 2003 | 38.3% | +3.9% |
| 2004 | 37.6% | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 36.9% | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 36.4% | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 35.6% | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 39.1% | +9.9% |
| 2009 | 48.1% | +23.1% |
| 2010 | 45.9% | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 47.5% | +3.4% |
| 2012 | 48.7% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 49.5% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 49.5% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 48.3% | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 47.0% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 47.9% | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 48.0% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 49.8% | +3.6% |
| 2020 | 59.3% | +19.1% |
| 2021 | 59.3% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 57.5% | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 55.4% | -3.7% |
| 2024 | 55.8% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 57.4% | +2.8% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 57.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 47.3%, 1.2× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 57.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 32.2%, 1.8× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Computer, communications and other services (%) … imports 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | +35.7% | 32.8% | 44.5% |
| 1979 | -31.7% | 50.8% | 34.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 40.7% | 32.8% | 50.8% | 4 |
| 1980s | 36.9% | 31.7% | 42.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 36.0% | 31.4% | 44.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.1% | 35.6% | 48.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.2% | 45.9% | 49.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.5% | 55.4% | 59.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More private sector data for South Korea
- Merchandise trade 71.6% (2025)
- Food imports 6.5% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 62.1% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 631.89 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 183.44 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 1.7% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 88.0% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 709.33 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 149.31 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 13,724 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is computer, communications and other services in South Korea?
- Computer, communications and other services in South Korea was 57.4% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest computer, communications and other services recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 59.3% in 2021.
- What is the lowest computer, communications and other services recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.4% in 1991.
- How does South Korea rank for computer, communications and other services?
- South Korea ranks 28th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is computer, communications and other services rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Computer, communications and other services (% of commercial service imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Computer, communications and other services include such activities as international telecommunications, and postal and courier services; computer data; news-related service transactions between residents and nonresidents; construction services; royalties and license fees; miscellaneous business, professional, and technical services; and personal, cultural, and recreational services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service imports which are commercial services provided by non-residents to residents.