South Africa vs South Korea
South Africa vs South Korea: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $49 in South Africa and $924 in South Korea, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in South Korea, by $875, or 19 times that in South Africa.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- South Korea has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1988.
- In 2025, South Africa ranked 100 and South Korea ranked 25 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | South Africa | South Korea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $49 | $924 |
| 2024 | $48 | $920 |
| 2023 | $49 | $924 |
| 2022 | $56 | $895 |
| 2021 | $58 | $980 |
| 2020 | $54 | $890 |
| 2019 | $58 | $853 |
| 2018 | $62 | $835 |
| 2017 | $63 | $762 |
| 2016 | $55 | $721 |
| 2015 | $62 | $720 |
| 2014 | $71 | $747 |
| 2013 | $76 | $689 |
| 2012 | $84 | $647 |
| 2011 | $87 | $634 |
| 2010 | $81 | $579 |
| 2009 | $70 | $507 |
| 2008 | $65 | $540 |
| 2007 | $70 | $577 |
| 2006 | $70 | $525 |
| 2005 | $72 | $464 |
| 2004 | $64 | $375 |
| 2003 | $53 | $334 |
| 2002 | $37 | $299 |
| 2001 | $38 | $276 |
| 2000 | $40 | $296 |
| 1999 | $37 | $261 |
| 1998 | $41 | $227 |
| 1997 | $53 | $324 |
| 1996 | $58 | $361 |
| 1995 | $74 | $356 |
| 1994 | $79 | $300 |
| 1993 | $76 | $277 |
| 1992 | $87 | $261 |
| 1991 | $94 | $247 |
| 1990 | $109 | $231 |
| 1989 | $107 | $219 |
| 1988 | $113 | $181 |
- Estimate
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
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 in US dollarsSouth Africa: $3B in 2025South Korea: $48.9B 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