Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) in South Korea
South Korea: Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) was 8.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Current health expenditure in South Korea, 2000–2024
Source: Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2024, current health expenditure in South Korea stood at 8.7%.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 38.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current health expenditure in South Korea peaked at 8.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3.7%, in 2000.
South Korea ranks 50th of 193 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Current health expenditure (% of GDP) (Global Health) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.7% | — |
| 2001 | 4.2% | +12.2% |
| 2002 | 3.9% | -6.3% |
| 2003 | 4.5% | +14.3% |
| 2004 | 4.4% | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 4.7% | +4.9% |
| 2006 | 5.0% | +6.6% |
| 2007 | 5.0% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 5.2% | +5.8% |
| 2009 | 5.7% | +8.4% |
| 2010 | 5.8% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 5.9% | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 6.0% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 6.1% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 6.2% | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 6.5% | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 6.6% | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 6.8% | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 7.1% | +5.1% |
| 2019 | 7.7% | +7.7% |
| 2020 | 8.0% | +4.3% |
| 2021 | 8.3% | +3.9% |
| 2022 | 8.9% | +6.2% |
| 2023 | 8.6% | -3.3% |
| 2024 | 8.7% | +1.3% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 8.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.0%, 1.1× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 8.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.9%, 1.5× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.6% | 3.7% | 5.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.5% | 5.8% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.5% | 8.0% | 8.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 47 South Africa 8.9% compare
- 48 Malta 8.8% compare
- 49 Guinea-Bissau 8.8% compare
- 51 Czechia 8.5% compare
- 52 Mozambique 8.5% compare
- 53 Italy 8.4% compare
More health data for South Korea
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.43 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1935 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 69 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -2.66 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0118 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -2.76 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0124 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current health expenditure in South Korea?
- Current health expenditure in South Korea was 8.7% in 2024, according to Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest current health expenditure recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 8.9% in 2022.
- What is the lowest current health expenditure recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.7% in 2000.
- How does South Korea rank for current health expenditure?
- South Korea ranks 50th out of 193 countries with data for 2024.
- Is current health expenditure rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Expenditure Database, updated December 12th, 2025, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of Current health expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Level of current health expenditure expressed as a percentage of GDP. Estimates of current health expenditures include healthcare goods and services consumed during each year. This indicator does not include capital health expenditures such as buildings, machinery, IT and stocks of vaccines for emergency or outbreaks.