Ireland vs South Korea
Ireland vs South Korea: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $1.46B in Ireland and $48.9B in South Korea, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Korea, by $47.4B, or 33 times that in Ireland.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1958.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Ireland | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.46B | $48.9B |
| 2024 | $1.33B | $47.6B |
| 2023 | $1.3B | $46.8B |
| 2022 | $1.3B | $46.6B |
| 2021 | $1.36B | $47.6B |
| 2020 | $1.3B | $45.6B |
| 2019 | $1.28B | $43.3B |
| 2018 | $1.22B | $40.1B |
| 2017 | $1.2B | $38.1B |
| 2016 | $1.19B | $37.4B |
| 2015 | $1.18B | $36.5B |
| 2014 | $1.18B | $35.2B |
| 2013 | $1.18B | $33.8B |
| 2012 | $1.19B | $32.8B |
| 2011 | $1.26B | $32B |
| 2010 | $1.33B | $31.6B |
| 2009 | $1.39B | $31.3B |
| 2008 | $1.41B | $29.5B |
| 2007 | $1.36B | $27.7B |
| 2006 | $1.35B | $26.5B |
| 2005 | $1.36B | $25.5B |
| 2004 | $1.34B | $23.6B |
| 2003 | $1.32B | $22.6B |
| 2002 | $1.38B | $21.9B |
| 2001 | $1.44B | $21.3B |
| 2000 | $1.33B | $20.7B |
| 1999 | $1.29B | $19.5B |
| 1998 | $1.25B | $20B |
| 1997 | $1.24B | $20.8B |
| 1996 | $1.17B | $20.3B |
| 1995 | $1.11B | $20B |
| 1994 | $1.1B | $18.3B |
| 1993 | $1.08B | $17.8B |
| 1992 | $1.07B | $17B |
| 1991 | $1.08B | $16B |
| 1990 | $1.03B | $15.6B |
| 1989 | $908M | $15B |
| 1988 | $918M | $14.1B |
| 1987 | $923M | $13.3B |
| 1986 | $988M | $13B |
| 1985 | $962M | $12B |
| 1984 | $933M | $11.1B |
| 1983 | $964M | $10.9B |
| 1982 | $1.03B | $10.4B |
| 1981 | $1.02B | $10B |
| 1980 | $1.06B | $9.66B |
| 1979 | $1.01B | $8.82B |
| 1978 | $913M | $9.39B |
| 1977 | $853M | $7.54B |
| 1976 | $838M | $6.34B |
| 1975 | $811M | $4.41B |
| 1974 | $668M | $3.82B |
| 1973 | $659M | $2.99B |
| 1972 | $616M | $2.97B |
| 1971 | $519M | $2.54B |
| 1970 | $460M | $2.16B |
| 1969 | $407M | $2.09B |
| 1968 | $390M | $1.81B |
| 1967 | $379M | $1.54B |
| 1966 | $372M | $1.38B |
| 1965 | $391M | $767M |
| 1964 | $379M | $730M |
| 1963 | $339M | $771M |
| 1962 | $335M | $933M |
| 1961 | $330M | $804M |
| 1960 | $318M | $771M |
| 1959 | $299M | $796M |
| 1958 | $285M | $750M |
| 1957 | – | $635M |
| 1956 | – | $739M |
| 1955 | – | $516M |
| 1954 | – | $465M |
| 1953 | – | $185M |
- 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
Ireland vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyIreland: 82.4 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityIreland: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityIreland: 2.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterIreland: 96% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionIreland: 4.25% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateIreland: 8.4 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationIreland: 5.2 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthIreland: 1.19% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateIreland: 1.6 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationIreland: 64.6% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageIreland: 38.4 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overIreland: 15.5% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateIreland: 8.4 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingIreland: 0.22% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personIreland: $272 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingIreland: 0.9% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelIreland: 9,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerIreland: 0.05% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersIreland: 0.37% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsIreland: 14 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsIreland: 24 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025