North Korea vs South Korea
North Korea vs South Korea: Military spending per person
Military spending per person: $62 in North Korea in 2018 and $924 in South Korea in 2025, by SIPRI estimates. In 2018 the value was higher in South Korea, by $773, or 13 times that in North Korea.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher in every year both have figures for since 2015.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | North Korea | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | – | $924 |
| 2024 | – | $920 |
| 2023 | – | $924 |
| 2022 | – | $895 |
| 2021 | – | $980 |
| 2020 | – | $890 |
| 2019 | – | $853 |
| 2018 | $62 | $835 |
| 2017 | $37 | $762 |
| 2016 | $36 | $721 |
| 2015 | $34 | $720 |
| 2014 | – | $747 |
| 2013 | – | $689 |
| 2012 | – | $647 |
| 2011 | – | $634 |
| 2010 | – | $579 |
| 2009 | – | $507 |
| 2008 | – | $540 |
| 2007 | – | $577 |
| 2006 | – | $525 |
| 2005 | – | $464 |
| 2004 | – | $375 |
| 2003 | – | $334 |
| 2002 | – | $299 |
| 2001 | – | $276 |
| 2000 | – | $296 |
| 1999 | – | $261 |
| 1998 | – | $227 |
| 1997 | – | $324 |
| 1996 | – | $361 |
| 1995 | – | $356 |
| 1994 | – | $300 |
| 1993 | – | $277 |
| 1992 | – | $261 |
| 1991 | – | $247 |
| 1990 | – | $231 |
| 1989 | – | $219 |
| 1988 | – | $181 |
- Estimate
- Highly uncertain
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- 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
North Korea vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyNorth Korea: 73.6 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityNorth Korea: 1.7 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityNorth Korea: 14.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterNorth Korea: 66.5% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionNorth Korea: 3.09% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateNorth Korea: 11.1 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationNorth Korea: 26.4 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthNorth Korea: 0.32% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateNorth Korea: 1.78 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationNorth Korea: 64.2% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageNorth Korea: 36.1 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overNorth Korea: 12% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateNorth Korea: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Armed forces personnelNorth Korea: 1.47 million people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerNorth Korea: 1.41% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersNorth Korea: 8.62% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsNorth Korea: 1 million TIV in 2010South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsNorth Korea: 44 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025