Transport services (% of commercial service exports) in South Korea
South Korea: Transport services (% of commercial service exports) was 25.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Transport services in South Korea, 1976–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service exports.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 25.0% for transport services in 2025.
The figure is down 11.6% on the previous year and down 29.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in South Korea peaked at 51.5% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 17.6%, in 1978.
South Korea ranks 62nd of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Transport services (% of commercial service exports) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 26.2% | — |
| 1977 | 21.3% | -18.6% |
| 1978 | 17.6% | -17.6% |
| 1979 | 25.9% | +47.3% |
| 1980 | 32.0% | +23.9% |
| 1981 | 33.9% | +5.8% |
| 1982 | 33.7% | -0.4% |
| 1983 | 35.6% | +5.4% |
| 1984 | 33.9% | -4.7% |
| 1985 | 33.1% | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 33.3% | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 31.1% | -6.7% |
| 1988 | 32.7% | +5.2% |
| 1989 | 34.3% | +5.0% |
| 1990 | 32.0% | -6.7% |
| 1991 | 36.6% | +14.3% |
| 1992 | 39.0% | +6.6% |
| 1993 | 40.7% | +4.5% |
| 1994 | 42.8% | +5.2% |
| 1995 | 39.6% | -7.5% |
| 1996 | 36.9% | -6.9% |
| 1997 | 40.7% | +10.4% |
| 1998 | 38.7% | -5.1% |
| 1999 | 42.0% | +8.5% |
| 2000 | 43.2% | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 44.5% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 44.5% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 49.9% | +12.2% |
| 2004 | 51.5% | +3.3% |
| 2005 | 48.7% | -5.5% |
| 2006 | 46.6% | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 47.9% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 49.8% | +3.9% |
| 2009 | 40.2% | -19.2% |
| 2010 | 47.6% | +18.4% |
| 2011 | 41.4% | -13.0% |
| 2012 | 40.7% | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 36.8% | -9.5% |
| 2014 | 34.4% | -6.5% |
| 2015 | 35.4% | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 29.2% | -17.5% |
| 2017 | 27.9% | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 27.2% | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 26.3% | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 26.4% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 35.5% | +34.2% |
| 2022 | 36.6% | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 27.3% | -25.5% |
| 2024 | 28.3% | +3.7% |
| 2025 | 25.0% | -11.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 25.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 15.4%, 1.6× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 25.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 14.1%, 1.8× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 22.7% | 17.6% | 26.2% | 4 |
| 1980s | 33.4% | 31.1% | 35.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.9% | 32.0% | 42.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.7% | 40.2% | 51.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.7% | 26.3% | 47.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.9% | 25.0% | 36.6% | 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 transport services in South Korea?
- Transport services in South Korea was 25.0% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 51.5% in 2004.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.6% in 1978.
- How does South Korea rank for transport services?
- South Korea ranks 62nd out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 29.3%. 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 Transport services (% of commercial service exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Transport is the process of carriage of people and objects from one location to another as well as related supporting and auxiliary services. Also included are postal and courier services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service exports which are commercial services provided by residents to non-residents.