Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products (%) in South Korea
South Korea: Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products (%) was 23.8% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products in South Korea, 1988–2022
Source: Staff estimates. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products in South Korea stood at 23.8%.
That represents a change of up 15.5% on the previous year and down 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products in South Korea peaked at 31.3% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 11.1%, in 1999.
South Korea ranks 10th of 184 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products (%) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 19.0% | — |
| 1989 | 13.8% | -27.7% |
| 1990 | 13.8% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 13.0% | -5.9% |
| 1995 | 11.4% | -12.1% |
| 1996 | 21.0% | +83.7% |
| 1997 | 20.3% | -3.3% |
| 1998 | 21.8% | +7.4% |
| 1999 | 11.1% | -49.0% |
| 2000 | 21.5% | +93.1% |
| 2001 | 22.4% | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 21.1% | -6.0% |
| 2003 | 21.9% | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 21.2% | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 21.5% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 21.6% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 20.7% | -4.1% |
| 2008 | 24.7% | +19.2% |
| 2009 | 24.9% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 25.6% | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 26.6% | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 26.1% | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 27.2% | +4.6% |
| 2014 | 21.7% | -20.4% |
| 2015 | 24.0% | +10.7% |
| 2016 | 31.3% | +30.4% |
| 2017 | 21.2% | -32.2% |
| 2018 | 20.6% | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 21.1% | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 20.6% | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 23.8% | +15.5% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 23.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.1%, 5.9× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 23.8% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 6.2%, 3.8× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products (%) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +93.1% | 11.1% | 21.5% |
| 1996 | +83.7% | 11.4% | 21.0% |
| 1999 | -49.0% | 21.8% | 11.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 16.4% | 13.8% | 19.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 16.1% | 11.1% | 21.8% | 7 |
| 2000s | 22.2% | 20.7% | 24.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.9% | 20.6% | 31.3% | 9 |
| 2020s | 21.8% | 20.6% | 23.8% | 3 |
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 tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products in South Korea?
- Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products in South Korea was 23.8% in 2022, according to Staff estimates.
- What is the highest tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 31.3% in 2016.
- What is the lowest tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.1% in 1999.
- How does South Korea rank for tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products?
- South Korea ranks 10th out of 184 countries with data for 2022.
- Is tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, published as part of Tariff rate, applied, simple mean, primary products (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Simple mean applied tariff is the unweighted average of effectively applied rates for all products subject to tariffs calculated for all traded goods. Data are classified using the Harmonized System of trade at the six- or eight-digit level. Tariff line data were matched to Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) revision 3 codes to define commodity groups. Effectively applied tariff rates at the six- and eight-digit product level are averaged for products in each commodity group. When the effectively applied rate is unavailable, the most favored nation rate is used instead. To the extent possible, specific rates have been converted to their ad valorem equivalent rates and have been included in the calculation of simple mean tariffs. Primary products are commodities classified in SITC revision 3 sections 0-4 plus division 68 (nonferrous metals).