South Korea: Exports, percent of GDP

The latest value from 2024 is 44.36 percent, an increase from 41.32 percent in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 44.61 percent, based on data from 154 countries. Historically, the average for South Korea from 1960 to 2024 is 27.95 percent. The minimum value, 2.63 percent, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 52.02 percent was recorded in 2012. See the global rankings or world map for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.

The exports of South Korea and other countries are calculated as the total amount of goods and services produced at home and sold abroad. Exports are often reported as percent of GDP so that we can evaluate their magnitude relative to the size of the economy.

If exports are about 15 percent or less of GDP the economy is considered relatively closed as only 15 percent of its products are sold internationally. That, for example, applies to the U.S. In contrast, many small European countries export over 40 percent of their production. They are considered more open to international trade.

Definition: Exports of goods and services represent the value of all goods and other market services provided to 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.