France vs South Korea
France vs South Korea: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $64.5B in France and $48.9B in South Korea, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in France, by $15.7B, or 1.32 times that in South Korea.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- France has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1953.
- In 2025, France ranked 9 and South Korea ranked 11 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | France | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $64.5B | $48.9B |
| 2024 | $63.6B | $47.6B |
| 2023 | $60.8B | $46.8B |
| 2022 | $60.2B | $46.6B |
| 2021 | $60.5B | $47.6B |
| 2020 | $58B | $45.6B |
| 2019 | $56.1B | $43.3B |
| 2018 | $54.7B | $40.1B |
| 2017 | $54.4B | $38.1B |
| 2016 | $53.5B | $37.4B |
| 2015 | $53.4B | $36.5B |
| 2014 | $52B | $35.2B |
| 2013 | $51.1B | $33.8B |
| 2012 | $51.4B | $32.8B |
| 2011 | $52.2B | $32B |
| 2010 | $53.8B | $31.6B |
| 2009 | $56.5B | $31.3B |
| 2008 | $52.6B | $29.5B |
| 2007 | $53B | $27.7B |
| 2006 | $53B | $26.5B |
| 2005 | $52.8B | $25.5B |
| 2004 | $53.9B | $23.6B |
| 2003 | $52.4B | $22.6B |
| 2002 | $50.9B | $21.9B |
| 2001 | $49.9B | $21.3B |
| 2000 | $50B | $20.7B |
| 1999 | $50.6B | $19.5B |
| 1998 | $50.2B | $20B |
| 1997 | $51.5B | $20.8B |
| 1996 | $51.4B | $20.3B |
| 1995 | $52.6B | $20B |
| 1994 | $55.4B | $18.3B |
| 1993 | $55.1B | $17.8B |
| 1992 | $55.7B | $17B |
| 1991 | $57.5B | $16B |
| 1990 | $57.1B | $15.6B |
| 1989 | $57.4B | $15B |
| 1988 | $56.7B | $14.1B |
| 1987 | $56.7B | $13.3B |
| 1986 | $55.1B | $13B |
| 1985 | $53.5B | $12B |
| 1984 | $53.6B | $11.1B |
| 1983 | $53.9B | $10.9B |
| 1982 | $52.9B | $10.4B |
| 1981 | $51.9B | $10B |
| 1980 | $50.7B | $9.66B |
| 1979 | $49.7B | $8.82B |
| 1978 | $48.6B | $9.39B |
| 1977 | $46B | $7.54B |
| 1976 | $43.6B | $6.34B |
| 1975 | $41.8B | $4.41B |
| 1974 | $40B | $3.82B |
| 1973 | $40.1B | $2.99B |
| 1972 | $38.7B | $2.97B |
| 1971 | $37.7B | $2.54B |
| 1970 | $37.2B | $2.16B |
| 1969 | $37B | $2.09B |
| 1968 | $38.7B | $1.81B |
| 1967 | $38.6B | $1.54B |
| 1966 | $36.7B | $1.38B |
| 1965 | $35.7B | $767M |
| 1964 | $35.2B | $730M |
| 1963 | $34.2B | $771M |
| 1962 | $34.8B | $933M |
| 1961 | $33.7B | $804M |
| 1960 | $32.4B | $771M |
| 1959 | $31.6B | $796M |
| 1958 | $30.9B | $750M |
| 1957 | $33.5B | $635M |
| 1956 | $31.3B | $739M |
| 1955 | $24.5B | $516M |
| 1954 | $26.3B | $465M |
| 1953 | $30.8B | $185M |
| 1952 | $27.7B | – |
| 1951 | $21.8B | – |
| 1950 | $16.3B | – |
| 1949 | $15.1B | – |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
France vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyFrance: 83.3 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityFrance: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityFrance: 3.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterFrance: 99.7% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionFrance: 4.25% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateFrance: 12.4 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationFrance: 66.4 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthFrance: 0.17% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateFrance: 1.64 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationFrance: 78.8% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageFrance: 41.8 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overFrance: 21.8% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateFrance: 1.4 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingFrance: 2.03% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personFrance: $1,021 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingFrance: 3.5% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelFrance: 304,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerFrance: 1.09% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersFrance: 1% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsFrance: 236 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsFrance: 3.37 billion TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025