Philippines vs South Korea
Philippines vs South Korea: Armed forces, share of workers
Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 0.37% of the labour force in Philippines and 2.01% of the labour force in South Korea, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in South Korea, by 1.64 percentage points, or 5.43 times that in Philippines.
% of the labour force · IISS
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
- In 2020, Philippines ranked 135 and South Korea ranked 26 of 168 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 0.79% of the labour force in 2020.
Every year
% of the labour force · IISS
| Year | Philippines | South Korea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0.37 | 2.01 | 0.79 |
| 2019 | 0.34 | 2.15 | 0.79 |
| 2018 | 0.35 | 2.15 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 0.35 | 2.26 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 0.38 | 2.28 | 0.81 |
| 2015 | 0.39 | 2.31 | 0.82 |
| 2014 | 0.39 | 2.33 | 0.82 |
| 2013 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 0.83 |
| 2012 | 0.41 | 2.54 | 0.87 |
| 2011 | 0.42 | 2.59 | 0.88 |
| 2010 | 0.43 | 2.64 | 0.89 |
| 2009 | 0.45 | 2.67 | 0.89 |
| 2008 | 0.41 | 2.81 | 0.89 |
| 2007 | 0.42 | 2.83 | 0.89 |
| 2006 | 0.42 | 2.86 | 0.95 |
| 2005 | 0.43 | 2.89 | 0.96 |
| 2004 | 0.44 | 2.92 | 0.94 |
| 2003 | 0.47 | 2.95 | 0.98 |
| 2002 | 0.48 | 2.96 | 1 |
| 2001 | 0.49 | 3 | 1.01 |
| 2000 | 0.5 | 3.05 | 1.07 |
| 1999 | 0.53 | 3.06 | 1.09 |
| 1998 | 0.58 | 3.09 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 0.57 | 3.04 | 1.15 |
| 1996 | 0.57 | 3.07 | 1.18 |
| 1995 | 0.58 | 3.01 | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 0.42 | 3.6 | 0.94 |
| 1993 | 0.44 | 3.71 | 0.98 |
| 1992 | 0.45 | 3.77 | 1.03 |
| 1991 | 0.46 | 3.85 | 1.03 |
| 1990 | 0.49 | 3.44 | 1.11 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 168 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Philippines vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyPhilippines: 69.8 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityPhilippines: 2.7 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityPhilippines: 20.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterPhilippines: 47.9% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionPhilippines: 2.77% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide ratePhilippines: 6 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationPhilippines: 115 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthPhilippines: 0.84% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility ratePhilippines: 1.92 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationPhilippines: 55.8% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median agePhilippines: 25.3 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overPhilippines: 5.3% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration ratePhilippines: -1.4 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingPhilippines: 1.3% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsPhilippines: $6.3B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personPhilippines: $55 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingPhilippines: 5.4% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelPhilippines: 157,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerPhilippines: 0.68% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Arms importsPhilippines: 846 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsPhilippines: 4 million TIV in 2007South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025