Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate in South Korea
South Korea: Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate was 0.0203 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate in South Korea, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 0.0203 % change on previous year for merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 101.2% on the previous year and up 100.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate in South Korea peaked at 68.12 % change on previous year in 1973 and was at its lowest, -35.5 % change on previous year, in 1998.
That places South Korea 172nd out of 206 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -8.14 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 33.54 % change on previous year | -512.1% |
| 1963 | 32.7 % change on previous year | -2.5% |
| 1964 | -27.86 % change on previous year | -185.2% |
| 1965 | 14.6 % change on previous year | -152.4% |
| 1966 | 54.64 % change on previous year | +274.2% |
| 1967 | 39.11 % change on previous year | -28.4% |
| 1968 | 46.89 % change on previous year | +19.9% |
| 1969 | 24.68 % change on previous year | -47.4% |
| 1970 | 8.77 % change on previous year | -64.5% |
| 1971 | 20.67 % change on previous year | +135.6% |
| 1972 | 5.35 % change on previous year | -74.1% |
| 1973 | 68.12 % change on previous year | +1174.1% |
| 1974 | 61.6 % change on previous year | -9.6% |
| 1975 | 6.16 % change on previous year | -90.0% |
| 1976 | 20.62 % change on previous year | +234.8% |
| 1977 | 23.22 % change on previous year | +12.6% |
| 1978 | 38.49 % change on previous year | +65.8% |
| 1979 | 35.85 % change on previous year | -6.9% |
| 1980 | 9.6 % change on previous year | -73.2% |
| 1981 | 17.22 % change on previous year | +79.3% |
| 1982 | -7.19 % change on previous year | -141.8% |
| 1983 | 8 % change on previous year | -211.2% |
| 1984 | 16.95 % change on previous year | +111.7% |
| 1985 | 1.65 % change on previous year | -90.3% |
| 1986 | 1.44 % change on previous year | -12.5% |
| 1987 | 29.87 % change on previous year | +1971.5% |
| 1988 | 26.31 % change on previous year | -11.9% |
| 1989 | 18.63 % change on previous year | -29.2% |
| 1990 | 13.63 % change on previous year | -26.8% |
| 1991 | 16.72 % change on previous year | +22.7% |
| 1992 | 0.3067 % change on previous year | -98.2% |
| 1993 | 2.48 % change on previous year | +707.5% |
| 1994 | 22.13 % change on previous year | +793.8% |
| 1995 | 32.02 % change on previous year | +44.7% |
| 1996 | 11.26 % change on previous year | -64.8% |
| 1997 | -3.81 % change on previous year | -133.8% |
| 1998 | -35.5 % change on previous year | +832.5% |
| 1999 | 28.38 % change on previous year | -179.9% |
| 2000 | 34.01 % change on previous year | +19.9% |
| 2001 | -12.08 % change on previous year | -135.5% |
| 2002 | 7.82 % change on previous year | -164.7% |
| 2003 | 17.55 % change on previous year | +124.6% |
| 2004 | 25.52 % change on previous year | +45.4% |
| 2005 | 16.38 % change on previous year | -35.8% |
| 2006 | 18.43 % change on previous year | +12.5% |
| 2007 | 15.34 % change on previous year | -16.8% |
| 2008 | 21.98 % change on previous year | +43.3% |
| 2009 | -25.77 % change on previous year | -217.3% |
| 2010 | 31.61 % change on previous year | -222.6% |
| 2011 | 23.33 % change on previous year | -26.2% |
| 2012 | -0.9206 % change on previous year | -103.9% |
| 2013 | -0.77 % change on previous year | -16.4% |
| 2014 | 1.94 % change on previous year | -351.4% |
| 2015 | -16.95 % change on previous year | -975.5% |
| 2016 | -6.94 % change on previous year | -59.0% |
| 2017 | 17.8 % change on previous year | -356.3% |
| 2018 | 11.86 % change on previous year | -33.4% |
| 2019 | -5.95 % change on previous year | -150.2% |
| 2020 | -7.09 % change on previous year | +19.2% |
| 2021 | 31.53 % change on previous year | -544.5% |
| 2022 | 18.9 % change on previous year | -40.1% |
| 2023 | -12.14 % change on previous year | -164.2% |
| 2024 | -1.68 % change on previous year | -86.2% |
| 2025 | 0.0203 % change on previous year | -101.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.0203 % change on previous year is below the median for high income countries, which is 7.06 % change on previous year, 0% of the median. (77 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.0203 % change on previous year is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.01 % change on previous year, 0% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +1971.5% | 1.44 % change on previous year | 29.87 % change on previous year |
| 1973 | +1174.1% | 5.35 % change on previous year | 68.12 % change on previous year |
| 2015 | -975.5% | 1.94 % change on previous year | -16.95 % change on previous year |
| 1998 | -832.5% | -3.81 % change on previous year | -35.5 % change on previous year |
| 1994 | +793.8% | 2.48 % change on previous year | 22.13 % change on previous year |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 23.35 % change on previous year | -27.86 % change on previous year | 54.64 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 28.88 % change on previous year | 5.35 % change on previous year | 68.12 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.25 % change on previous year | -7.19 % change on previous year | 29.87 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.76 % change on previous year | -35.5 % change on previous year | 32.02 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.92 % change on previous year | -25.77 % change on previous year | 34.01 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.5 % change on previous year | -16.95 % change on previous year | 31.61 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.92 % change on previous year | -12.14 % change on previous year | 31.53 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 169 Nigeria 0.4532 % change on previous year compare
- 170 Russia 0.3847 % change on previous year compare
- 171 East Timor 0.1022 % change on previous year compare
- 173 Gabon 0 % change on previous year compare
- 174 China -0.0124 % change on previous year compare
- 175 Greece -0.0248 % change on previous year compare
More private sector data for South Korea
- Merchandise trade 71.6% (2025)
- Food imports 6.3% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 60.1% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 631.89 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 1.6% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 87.3% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 709.33 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 13,724 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3788 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 3.76 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate in South Korea?
- Merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate in South Korea was 0.0203 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 68.12 % change on previous year in 1973.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -35.5 % change on previous year in 1998.
- How does South Korea rank for merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate?
- South Korea ranks 172nd out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is merchandise imports (current us$), annual growth rate rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 100.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Merchandise imports (current US$), annual growth rate. 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
The year-on-year percentage change in Merchandise imports (current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Merchandise imports World Trade Organization (WTO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Merchandise imports (current US$). Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.