Russia vs South Korea
Russia vs South Korea: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $158B in Russia and $48.9B in South Korea, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Russia, by $109B, or 3.24 times that in South Korea.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Russia has been higher since 2000, when it overtook South Korea.
- In 2025, Russia ranked 3 and South Korea ranked 11 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | Russia | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $158B | $48.9B |
| 2024 | $149B | $47.6B |
| 2023 | $109B | $46.8B |
| 2022 | $88.7B | $46.6B |
| 2021 | $68.5B | $47.6B |
| 2020 | $67.2B | $45.6B |
| 2019 | $65.6B | $43.3B |
| 2018 | $62.8B | $40.1B |
| 2017 | $65.3B | $38.1B |
| 2016 | $80.6B | $37.4B |
| 2015 | $75.1B | $36.5B |
| 2014 | $69.7B | $35.2B |
| 2013 | $65B | $33.8B |
| 2012 | $62B | $32.8B |
| 2011 | $53.5B | $32B |
| 2010 | $50.2B | $31.6B |
| 2009 | $49.2B | $31.3B |
| 2008 | $46.9B | $29.5B |
| 2007 | $42.6B | $27.7B |
| 2006 | $39.2B | $26.5B |
| 2005 | $35.4B | $25.5B |
| 2004 | $31.1B | $23.6B |
| 2003 | $29.8B | $22.6B |
| 2002 | $28.4B | $21.9B |
| 2001 | $25.7B | $21.3B |
| 2000 | $23.7B | $20.7B |
| 1999 | $17.6B | $19.5B |
| 1998 | $15.8B | $20B |
| 1997 | $26.6B | $20.8B |
| 1996 | $24.4B | $20.3B |
| 1995 | $25.8B | $20B |
| 1994 | $39.2B | $18.3B |
| 1993 | $41.5B | $17.8B |
| 1992 | $47.5B | $17B |
| 1991 | – | $16B |
| 1990 | – | $15.6B |
| 1989 | – | $15B |
| 1988 | – | $14.1B |
| 1987 | – | $13.3B |
| 1986 | – | $13B |
| 1985 | – | $12B |
| 1984 | – | $11.1B |
| 1983 | – | $10.9B |
| 1982 | – | $10.4B |
| 1981 | – | $10B |
| 1980 | – | $9.66B |
| 1979 | – | $8.82B |
| 1978 | – | $9.39B |
| 1977 | – | $7.54B |
| 1976 | – | $6.34B |
| 1975 | – | $4.41B |
| 1974 | – | $3.82B |
| 1973 | – | $2.99B |
| 1972 | – | $2.97B |
| 1971 | – | $2.54B |
| 1970 | – | $2.16B |
| 1969 | – | $2.09B |
| 1968 | – | $1.81B |
| 1967 | – | $1.54B |
| 1966 | – | $1.38B |
| 1965 | – | $767M |
| 1964 | – | $730M |
| 1963 | – | $771M |
| 1962 | – | $933M |
| 1961 | – | $804M |
| 1960 | – | $771M |
| 1959 | – | $796M |
| 1958 | – | $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
Russia vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancyRussia: 73.2 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityRussia: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityRussia: 3.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterRussia: 76.2% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionRussia: 3.71% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateRussia: 25.1 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationRussia: 145 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthRussia: -0.32% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateRussia: 1.45 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationRussia: 75.3% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageRussia: 39.5 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overRussia: 16.6% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateRussia: 0.2 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingRussia: 7.5% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personRussia: $1,318 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingRussia: 19.8% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelRussia: 1.45 million people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerRussia: 3.82% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersRussia: 1.98% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsRussia: 129 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsRussia: 1.94 billion TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025