Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita in South Korea
South Korea: Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita was 12,226 current US$ per person in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
12,226 current US$ per person
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
42nd
of 206 countries
All-time high
14,154 current US$ per person
in 2022
All-time low
12.26 current US$ per person
in 1961
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita in South Korea, 1960–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current US$ per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports (current us$), per capita in South Korea is 12,226 current US$ per person, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 42.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports (current us$), per capita in South Korea peaked at 14,154 current US$ per person in 2022 and was at its lowest, 12.26 current US$ per person, in 1961.
South Korea ranks 42nd of 206 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports (current US$), per capita in South Korea, year by year
| Year | current US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 13.75 current US$ per person | — |
| 1961 | 12.26 current US$ per person | -10.8% |
| 1962 | 15.92 current US$ per person | +29.8% |
| 1963 | 20.54 current US$ per person | +29.1% |
| 1964 | 14.44 current US$ per person | -29.7% |
| 1965 | 16.13 current US$ per person | +11.7% |
| 1966 | 24.32 current US$ per person | +50.8% |
| 1967 | 33.06 current US$ per person | +35.9% |
| 1968 | 47.44 current US$ per person | +43.5% |
| 1969 | 57.82 current US$ per person | +21.9% |
| 1970 | 61.54 current US$ per person | +6.4% |
| 1971 | 72.8 current US$ per person | +18.3% |
| 1972 | 75.27 current US$ per person | +3.4% |
| 1973 | 124.33 current US$ per person | +65.2% |
| 1974 | 197.51 current US$ per person | +58.9% |
| 1975 | 206.18 current US$ per person | +4.4% |
| 1976 | 244.75 current US$ per person | +18.7% |
| 1977 | 296.91 current US$ per person | +21.3% |
| 1978 | 404.99 current US$ per person | +36.4% |
| 1979 | 541.88 current US$ per person | +33.8% |
| 1980 | 584.73 current US$ per person | +7.9% |
| 1981 | 674.82 current US$ per person | +15.4% |
| 1982 | 616.66 current US$ per person | -8.6% |
| 1983 | 656.27 current US$ per person | +6.4% |
| 1984 | 758.08 current US$ per person | +15.5% |
| 1985 | 763.03 current US$ per person | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 766.37 current US$ per person | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 985.54 current US$ per person | +28.6% |
| 1988 | 1,233 current US$ per person | +25.1% |
| 1989 | 1,448 current US$ per person | +17.5% |
| 1990 | 1,629 current US$ per person | +12.5% |
| 1991 | 1,883 current US$ per person | +15.6% |
| 1992 | 1,869 current US$ per person | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 1,896 current US$ per person | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 2,293 current US$ per person | +20.9% |
| 1995 | 2,996 current US$ per person | +30.7% |
| 1996 | 3,302 current US$ per person | +10.2% |
| 1997 | 3,147 current US$ per person | -4.7% |
| 1998 | 2,015 current US$ per person | -36.0% |
| 1999 | 2,569 current US$ per person | +27.5% |
| 2000 | 3,414 current US$ per person | +32.9% |
| 2001 | 2,979 current US$ per person | -12.8% |
| 2002 | 3,193 current US$ per person | +7.2% |
| 2003 | 3,734 current US$ per person | +16.9% |
| 2004 | 4,668 current US$ per person | +25.0% |
| 2005 | 5,422 current US$ per person | +16.1% |
| 2006 | 6,387 current US$ per person | +17.8% |
| 2007 | 7,330 current US$ per person | +14.8% |
| 2008 | 8,873 current US$ per person | +21.1% |
| 2009 | 6,552 current US$ per person | -26.2% |
| 2010 | 8,581 current US$ per person | +31.0% |
| 2011 | 10,502 current US$ per person | +22.4% |
| 2012 | 10,350 current US$ per person | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 10,224 current US$ per person | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 10,357 current US$ per person | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 8,556 current US$ per person | -17.4% |
| 2016 | 7,931 current US$ per person | -7.3% |
| 2017 | 9,316 current US$ per person | +17.5% |
| 2018 | 10,375 current US$ per person | +11.4% |
| 2019 | 9,724 current US$ per person | -6.3% |
| 2020 | 9,021 current US$ per person | -7.2% |
| 2021 | 11,881 current US$ per person | +31.7% |
| 2022 | 14,154 current US$ per person | +19.1% |
| 2023 | 12,426 current US$ per person | -12.2% |
| 2024 | 12,208 current US$ per person | -1.8% |
| 2025 | 12,226 current US$ per person | +0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 12,226 current US$ per person is below the median for high income countries, which is 12,944 current US$ per person, 94% of the median. (77 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 12,226 current US$ per person is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3,634 current US$ per person, 3.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 25.57 current US$ per person | 12.26 current US$ per person | 57.82 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 222.62 current US$ per person | 61.54 current US$ per person | 541.88 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 848.61 current US$ per person | 584.73 current US$ per person | 1,448 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,360 current US$ per person | 1,629 current US$ per person | 3,302 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 5,255 current US$ per person | 2,979 current US$ per person | 8,873 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 9,591 current US$ per person | 7,931 current US$ per person | 10,502 current US$ per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 11,986 current US$ per person | 9,021 current US$ per person | 14,154 current US$ per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 39 Brunei 12,944 current US$ per person compare
- 40 Qatar 12,629 current US$ per person compare
- 41 Seychelles 12,385 current US$ per person compare
- 43 Guyana 12,222 current US$ per person compare
- 44 Northern Mariana Islands 11,759 current US$ per person compare
- 45 Portugal 11,648 current US$ per person 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$), annual growth rate 3.76 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports (current us$), per capita in South Korea?
- Merchandise imports (current us$), per capita in South Korea was 12,226 current US$ per person in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest merchandise imports (current us$), per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 14,154 current US$ per person in 2022.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports (current us$), per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.26 current US$ per person in 1961.
- How does South Korea rank for merchandise imports (current us$), per capita?
- South Korea ranks 42nd out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is merchandise imports (current us$), per capita rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.9%. 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$), per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Merchandise imports (current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Merchandise imports (current US$) ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Merchandise imports World Trade Organization (WTO)
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Merchandise imports (current US$) divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.