South Korea vs United Kingdom
South Korea vs United Kingdom: Military spending per person
Military spending per person in 2025: $924 in South Korea and $1,283 in United Kingdom, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in United Kingdom, by $359, or 1.39 times that in South Korea.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- United Kingdom has been higher since 2022, when it overtook South Korea.
- In 2025, South Korea ranked 25 and United Kingdom ranked 15 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | South Korea | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $924 | $1,283 |
| 2024 | $920 | $1,303 |
| 2023 | $924 | $1,075 |
| 2022 | $895 | $943 |
| 2021 | $980 | $966 |
| 2020 | $890 | $867 |
| 2019 | $853 | $845 |
| 2018 | $835 | $839 |
| 2017 | $762 | $787 |
| 2016 | $721 | $812 |
| 2015 | $720 | $921 |
| 2014 | $747 | $1,037 |
| 2013 | $689 | $995 |
| 2012 | $647 | $1,027 |
| 2011 | $634 | $1,052 |
| 2010 | $579 | $1,020 |
| 2009 | $507 | $1,028 |
| 2008 | $540 | $1,180 |
| 2007 | $577 | $1,199 |
| 2006 | $525 | $1,056 |
| 2005 | $464 | $1,021 |
| 2004 | $375 | $1,005 |
| 2003 | $334 | $877 |
| 2002 | $299 | $745 |
| 2001 | $276 | $668 |
| 2000 | $296 | $667 |
| 1999 | $261 | $694 |
| 1998 | $227 | $704 |
| 1997 | $324 | $683 |
| 1996 | $361 | $662 |
| 1995 | $356 | $659 |
| 1994 | $300 | $666 |
| 1993 | $277 | $659 |
| 1992 | $261 | $791 |
| 1991 | $247 | $819 |
| 1990 | $231 | $760 |
| 1989 | $219 | $656 |
| 1988 | $181 | $674 |
- 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 Korea vs United Kingdom
Health
- Life expectancySouth Korea: 84.3 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySouth Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySouth Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSouth Korea: 99.3% in 2022United Kingdom: 99.8% in 2022
- DepressionSouth Korea: 3.17% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateSouth Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSouth Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthSouth Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSouth Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSouth Korea: 81.2% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageSouth Korea: 44.5 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSouth Korea: 18.3% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateSouth Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSouth Korea: $37,470 in 2025United Kingdom: $48,420 in 2025
- GDP growthSouth Korea: 1.1% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 1.2% a year in 2025
- InflationSouth Korea: 2.1% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 3.4% a year in 2025
- Government debtSouth Korea: 49.6% of GDP in 2024United Kingdom: 102.1% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSouth Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSouth Korea: $48.9B in 2025United Kingdom: $88B in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSouth Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSouth Korea: 569,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerSouth Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSouth Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSouth Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSouth Korea: 2.02 billion TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025