KOR
Data file updated Jun 27, 2026
South Korea
Country profile covering economy, demographics, military, quality-of-life signals, and historical trends.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Seoul
- Currency
- South Korean Won (KRW)
- Language
- Korean
- Government
- Unitary presidential constitutional republic
- Internet Users
- 96.2%
- Unemployment
- 3.8%
- Smoking (15+)
- 16.2%
Population
51.27M
GDP
$1.81T
GDP per Capita
$35,340
Area
100,210 km²
Life Expectancy
83.0 years
HDI
0.9
Economy
5 metrics| GDP (USD) | $1.81T |
|---|---|
| GDP Per Capita (USD) | $35,340 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 3.8% |
| GINI Index (Income Inequality) | 31.4 |
| Currency | South Korean Won (KRW) |
Trade (Import/Export)
3 metrics| Exports | $831.9B |
|---|---|
| Imports | $755.5B |
| Trade Balance | $76.4B |
Gold Reserves
1 metrics| Gold Reserves | 104.4 tonnes |
|---|
Society & Demographics
4 metrics| Life Expectancy (years) | 83.0 |
|---|---|
| Literacy Rate (%) | 97.9% |
| Internet Users (%) | 96.2% |
| Human Development Index | 0.9 |
Military Strength
9 metrics| Active Personnel | 555,000 |
|---|---|
| Reserve Personnel | 3.1M |
| Total Military Personnel | 3.66M |
| Defense Budget (USD) | $46.7B |
| Tanks | 2,321 |
| Armored Vehicles | 3,100 |
| Self-Propelled Artillery | 1,836 |
| Towed Artillery | 1,700 |
| Rocket Projectors | 600 |
Air Force
7 metrics| Total Aircraft | 1,581 |
|---|---|
| Fighters | 406 |
| Attack Aircraft | 0 |
| Transport Aircraft | 49 |
| Trainer Aircraft | 293 |
| Helicopters | 833 |
| Attack Helicopters | 112 |
Education
4 metrics| Education Expenditure (% of GDP) | 5.3% |
|---|---|
| Universities | 376 |
| Primary Enrollment (%) | 97.3% |
| Secondary Enrollment (%) | 98.2% |
Healthcare
5 metrics| Healthcare Expenditure (% of GDP) | 8.1% |
|---|---|
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.4 |
| Hospital Beds per 1,000 people | 12.4 |
| Life Expectancy (Male) | 80.3 |
| Life Expectancy (Female) | 86.1 |
Cost of Living
12 metrics| Cost of Living Index | 71.5 |
|---|---|
| Rent Index | 22.5 |
| Groceries Index | 91.2 |
| Restaurant Price Index | 45.0 |
| Local Purchasing Power | 83.0 |
| Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant (USD) | $8 |
| Three-Course Meal for 2 (USD) | $40 |
| Monthly Rent - City Center (USD) | $800 |
| Monthly Rent - Outside Center (USD) | $500 |
| Monthly Utilities (USD) | $140 |
| Internet (60 Mbps, USD) | $25 |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (USD) | $45 |
Historical Data
Olympic Medals
27 Games years
145
Gold
134
Silver
130
Bronze
409
Total Medals (All-Time)
☀ Summer: 320
❄ Winter: 89
Medals by Games Year
Source: Official IOC medal counts via Wikipedia per-Games medal tables (Summer 1896–2024, Winter 1924–2026)
Summer Olympics
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 32 |
| 2020 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 20 |
| 2016 | 9 | 3 | 9 | 21 |
| 2012 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 31 |
| 2008 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 32 |
| 2004 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 30 |
| 2000 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 28 |
| 1996 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 27 |
| 1992 | 12 | 5 | 12 | 29 |
| 1988 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 33 |
| 1984 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 19 |
| 1976 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 1972 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1968 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1964 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 1956 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1952 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1948 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Winter Olympics
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 |
| 2022 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
| 2018 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 17 |
| 2014 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| 2010 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 14 |
| 2006 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 11 |
| 2002 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 1998 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 1994 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 1992 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Compare South Korea
Religious Composition
- Atheist/Agnostic 56.1%
- Protestant 19.7%
- Buddhist 15.5%
- Catholic 7.9%
- Other 0.8%
Beverages per Person
- Coffee 2.3 kg/yr
- Tea 0.2 kg/yr
- Beer 38.0 L/yr
- Wine 1.5 L/yr
- Alcohol 8.3 L pure/yr
Per-capita — consumption where available, else FAOSTAT supply · alcohol = litres of pure alcohol (WHO)
Age Demographics
44.9
Median Age