Country field notes / East Asia & Pacific

Korea, Rep.

Life expectancy 83.6 years (2024); GDP per person $55,071 in constant-2021 PPP dollars (2024). These are captured source observations, not a measure of household wealth. Dates can differ across indicators.

A first view of health, purchasing power, and essential services. These are observed source indicators; The experimental rankings provide a separate, explicitly weighted comparison where all inputs are available.

Ranking summary · 2023

Equal-domain rank 30 / 170 · Overall 77.9 · Rank across three weightings 26–40

Health: 97.0 · Essential services: 93.5 · Material resources: 85.2 · Civic voice: 75.7 · Air quality: 37.9

Experimental cohort percentile scores. Compare this economy and inspect the method.

Latest available observations in the captured 2000–2025 data. Periods vary; no gap-filling.
IndicatorValueUnitObservation periodProvider
Life expectancy83.63years2024World Bank
GDP per person$55,0712021 international $2024World Bank
Electricity access100.00% of population2024World Bank
Basic drinking water100.00% of population2024World Bank
Basic sanitation99.73% of population2024World Bank
Clean cooking access100.00% of population2024World Bank
Food insecurity5.80% of population2024World Bank
Poverty at $3/day0.10% of population2021World Bank
Income / consumption Gini32.90index, 0–1002021World Bank
Bottom 20% resource share7.40% of income or consumption2021World Bank
Under-five mortality2.80deaths per 1,000 live births2024World Bank
Maternal mortality4.00deaths per 100,000 live births2023World Bank
Child stunting0.90% of children under five2020World Bank
Out-of-pocket health spending33.74% of current health expenditure2024World Bank
Unemployment2.68% of labor force2025World Bank
Youth outside work and education10.76% of youth2002World Bank
Internet use97.90% of population2024World Bank
PM2.5 exposure21.89micrograms per cubic meter2023World Bank
Forest area64.37% of land area2024World Bank
Freshwater stress85.22% of available freshwater resources2022World Bank
Adjusted net savings17.71% of GNI2021World Bank
Voice and accountability73.79absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Rule of law78.33absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Government effectiveness83.11absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Control of corruption66.68absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Political stability81.68absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Regulatory quality72.76absolute score, 0–1002025World Bank
Tax revenue13.29% of GDP2024World Bank
Income, profit and capital-gains tax share27.55% of revenue2024World Bank
Goods and services tax share16.99% of revenue2024World Bank
International trade tax share1.04% of revenue2024World Bank
Government health spending4.91% of GDP2024World Bank
Government education spending5.41% of GDP2022World Bank
Intentional homicide0.48deaths per 100,000 people2023World Bank
Consumer price inflation2.12annual %2025World Bank
Tax wedge: Single, no children · 67% average wage21.92% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Single, no children · average wage24.85% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Single, no children · 167% average wage28.20% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Single parent, 2 children · 67% average wage5.07% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Couple, 2 children · one average-wage earner14.03% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Couple, 2 children · 100% + 67% average wages18.64% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Couple, 2 children · two average-wage earners20.65% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Tax wedge: Couple, no children · 100% + 67% average wages23.67% of employer labour cost2025OECD
Weekly work hours: All employed people37.29hours per employed person2025ILO
Weekly work hours: Women in employment34.08hours per employed person2025ILO
Weekly work hours: Men in employment39.86hours per employed person2025ILO
Life evaluation (3-year mean)6.04Cantril ladder, 0–102023–2025World Happiness Report

How to read this profile

GDP per person is measured in constant 2021 international dollars using purchasing power parity. It measures economic output, not household income or wealth. Life expectancy is period life expectancy at birth, not healthy life expectancy. Service access percentages are national averages and do not establish service reliability or equal access.

Missing values remain unavailable. Comparable years may have different underlying survey dates; source estimates can be revised.

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Households · Money and time · Ranking robustness · Within countries · Passport opportunities · Change over time · Similar resources · Hidden hardship · Evidence and uncertainty

Open Korea, Rep. in the interactive atlas ↗

Cite this profile

Pluraterra. “Korea, Rep.: country field notes.” Atlas prototype, snapshot retrieved November 1–2, 2026; observation periods shown per row. Underlying data: World Bank World Development Indicators. This page is a mutable preview; use the accompanying CSV for the captured data.

Download the captured data · Source and release notes