South Korea: Imports, percent of GDP
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
| South Korea |
Imports of goods and services as percent of GDP |
|---|---|
| Latest value | 48.53 |
| Year | 2022 |
| Measure | percent |
| Data availability | 1960 - 2022 |
| Average | 29.97 |
| Min - Max | 11.96 - 52.23 |
| Source | The World Bank |
For that indicator, we provide data for South Korea from 1960 to 2022. The average value for South Korea during that period was 29.97 percent with a minimum of 11.96 percent in 1960 and a maximum of 52.23 percent in 2011.
The latest value from 2022 is 48.53 percent. For comparison, the world average in 2022 based on 133
countries is 51.99 percent.
See the global rankings for that indicator or
use the country comparator to compare trends over time.
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
Recent values chart
Historical chart
The imports of South Korea and other countries are calculated as the total amount of goods and services produced abroad and sold at home. Imports are often reported as percent of GDP so that we can evaluate their magnitude relative to the size of the economy.
If imports are about 15 percent or less of GDP the economy is considered relatively closed. That, for example, applies to the U.S. In contrast, many small European countries import over 40 percent of the products they consume. They are considered more open to international trade.
If imports are about 15 percent or less of GDP the economy is considered relatively closed. That, for example, applies to the U.S. In contrast, many small European countries import over 40 percent of the products they consume. They are considered more open to international trade.
Definition: Imports of goods and services represent the value of all goods and other market services received from the rest of the world. They include the value of merchandise, freight, insurance, transport, travel, royalties, license fees, and other services, such as communication, construction, financial, information, business, personal, and government services. They exclude compensation of employees and investment income (formerly called factor services) and transfer payments.