East Asia & Pacific · OECD · G20
Data checked 28 Oct 2026 · next scheduled check 1 Jan 2027 · UN World Population Prospects (via World Bank) released 1 Jul 2026 · World Bank WDI released 8 Oct 2026
Total spending · 2024
22.5%
+2.2 pts since 1995
Welfare · 2024
Not available
Healthcare · 2024
Not available
Defence · 2024
Not available
Education · 2024
Not available
Debt interest · 2024
Not available
Gross debt · 2025
52.4%
of GDP · +19 pts since 2012
Population · 2025
51.7m
14.6% since 1995
Public-sector employment
Not available: no official public-sector employment series is loaded for Korea, Rep. yet.
Welfare rose from 2.3% to 9.3% of GDP between 1995 and 2023.
Healthcare rose from 1.3% to 5.3% of GDP between 1995 and 2023.
Defence rose from 2.2% to 2.5% of GDP between 1995 and 2023.
Education fell from 3.9% to 3.6% of GDP between 1995 and 2000, then rose to 5.0% by 2023.
Debt interest rose from 1.2% to 1.4% of GDP between 2007 and 2012, then fell to 1.3% by 2015.
Total spending rose from 20.3% to 22.5% of GDP between 1995 and 2024.
Gross debt rose from 33.5% to 52.4% of GDP between 2012 and 2025.
Population grew from 45.1 million in 1995 to 51.7 million in 2025; the UN projects 44.4 million by 2050.