South Africa vs South Korea
South Africa vs South Korea: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $3B in South Africa and $48.9B in South Korea, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Korea, by $45.9B, or 16 times that in South Africa.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher since 1966, when it overtook South Africa.
- In 2025, South Africa ranked 53 and South Korea ranked 11 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | South Africa | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3B | $48.9B |
| 2024 | $3.03B | $47.6B |
| 2023 | $3.21B | $46.8B |
| 2022 | $3.42B | $46.6B |
| 2021 | $3.39B | $47.6B |
| 2020 | $3.6B | $45.6B |
| 2019 | $3.47B | $43.3B |
| 2018 | $3.49B | $40.1B |
| 2017 | $3.64B | $38.1B |
| 2016 | $3.69B | $37.4B |
| 2015 | $3.79B | $36.5B |
| 2014 | $3.76B | $35.2B |
| 2013 | $3.76B | $33.8B |
| 2012 | $3.68B | $32.8B |
| 2011 | $3.53B | $32B |
| 2010 | $3.4B | $31.6B |
| 2009 | $3.52B | $31.3B |
| 2008 | $3.36B | $29.5B |
| 2007 | $3.38B | $27.7B |
| 2006 | $3.43B | $26.5B |
| 2005 | $3.39B | $25.5B |
| 2004 | $3.05B | $23.6B |
| 2003 | $2.95B | $22.6B |
| 2002 | $2.98B | $21.9B |
| 2001 | $2.72B | $21.3B |
| 2000 | $2.43B | $20.7B |
| 1999 | $2.07B | $19.5B |
| 1998 | $2.16B | $20B |
| 1997 | $2.44B | $20.8B |
| 1996 | $2.65B | $20.3B |
| 1995 | $3.05B | $20B |
| 1994 | $3.43B | $18.3B |
| 1993 | $3.22B | $17.8B |
| 1992 | $3.48B | $17B |
| 1991 | $4.04B | $16B |
| 1990 | $4.92B | $15.6B |
| 1989 | $5.46B | $15B |
| 1988 | $5.54B | $14.1B |
| 1987 | $4.72B | $13.3B |
| 1986 | $4.27B | $13B |
| 1985 | $4.19B | $12B |
| 1984 | $4.22B | $11.1B |
| 1983 | $3.92B | $10.9B |
| 1982 | $3.86B | $10.4B |
| 1981 | $3.92B | $10B |
| 1980 | $3.54B | $9.66B |
| 1979 | $3.54B | $8.82B |
| 1978 | $3.96B | $9.39B |
| 1977 | $4.41B | $7.54B |
| 1976 | $3.97B | $6.34B |
| 1975 | $3.2B | $4.41B |
| 1974 | $2.55B | $3.82B |
| 1973 | $1.98B | $2.99B |
| 1972 | $1.57B | $2.97B |
| 1971 | $1.54B | $2.54B |
| 1970 | $1.4B | $2.16B |
| 1969 | $1.48B | $2.09B |
| 1968 | $1.44B | $1.81B |
| 1967 | $1.37B | $1.54B |
| 1966 | $1.23B | $1.38B |
| 1965 | $1.14B | $767M |
| 1964 | $1.11B | $730M |
| 1963 | $791M | $771M |
| 1962 | $790M | $933M |
| 1961 | $489M | $804M |
| 1960 | $307M | $771M |
| 1959 | $269M | $796M |
| 1958 | $286M | $750M |
| 1957 | $381M | $635M |
| 1956 | $264M | $739M |
| 1955 | $235M | $516M |
| 1954 | $227M | $465M |
| 1953 | $242M | $185M |
| 1952 | $284M | – |
| 1951 | $268M | – |
- 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
South Africa vs South Korea
Health
- Life expectancySouth Africa: 66.1 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Africa: 3.5 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Africa: 27.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSouth Africa: 3.75% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Africa: 11.2 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Africa: 63.2 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Africa: 1.32% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Africa: 2.22 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Africa: 63.8% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Africa: 28.2 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Africa: 6.5% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Africa: 3.6 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Africa: 0.74% of GDP in 2025South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personSouth Africa: $49 in 2025South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Africa: 2.2% of government spending in 2025South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSouth Africa: 89,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Africa: 0.55% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Africa: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Africa: 30 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSouth Africa: 115 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025