Military personnel as a share of total population in South Korea
South Korea: Military personnel as a share of total population was 1.1% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
1.1%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
9th
of 194 countries
All-time high
3.4%
in 1955
All-time low
0.3%
in 1949
Years of data
74
1949–2022
Military personnel as a share of total population in South Korea, 1949–2022
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2022, military personnel as a share of total population in South Korea stood at 1.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 19.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel as a share of total population in South Korea peaked at 3.4% in 1955 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1949.
That places South Korea 9th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Military personnel as a share of total population in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 0.3% | — |
| 1950 | 0.5% | +56.8% |
| 1951 | 1.0% | +81.0% |
| 1952 | 1.7% | +70.4% |
| 1953 | 2.5% | +48.7% |
| 1954 | 3.0% | +22.7% |
| 1955 | 3.4% | +13.1% |
| 1956 | 2.9% | -13.5% |
| 1957 | 2.9% | -2.8% |
| 1958 | 2.8% | -2.8% |
| 1959 | 2.7% | -2.8% |
| 1960 | 2.6% | -4.0% |
| 1961 | 2.2% | -14.9% |
| 1962 | 2.1% | -2.8% |
| 1963 | 2.3% | +7.0% |
| 1964 | 2.1% | -6.8% |
| 1965 | 2.1% | -1.9% |
| 1966 | 1.9% | -7.6% |
| 1967 | 2.0% | +4.5% |
| 1968 | 2.0% | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 2.0% | -2.2% |
| 1970 | 2.0% | +1.8% |
| 1971 | 1.9% | -3.0% |
| 1972 | 1.9% | -2.3% |
| 1973 | 1.9% | -1.9% |
| 1974 | 1.8% | -1.7% |
| 1975 | 1.8% | -2.3% |
| 1976 | 1.7% | -4.7% |
| 1977 | 1.6% | -3.2% |
| 1978 | 1.6% | -1.5% |
| 1979 | 1.7% | +4.7% |
| 1980 | 1.6% | -7.4% |
| 1981 | 1.6% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 1.5% | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 1.5% | -1.3% |
| 1984 | 1.5% | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 1.5% | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 1.5% | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 1.5% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 1.5% | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 1.5% | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 1.5% | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 1.7% | +14.2% |
| 1992 | 1.7% | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 1.7% | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 1.7% | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 1.7% | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 1.5% | -11.6% |
| 1997 | 1.5% | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 1.5% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 1.4% | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 1.5% | +1.9% |
| 2001 | 1.4% | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 1.5% | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 1.5% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 1.5% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 1.5% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 1.5% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 1.4% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 1.4% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 1.4% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 1.4% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 1.3% | -5.2% |
| 2012 | 1.3% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 1.3% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 1.3% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 1.2% | -4.5% |
| 2017 | 1.2% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 1.2% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 1.2% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | -4.3% |
| 2021 | 1.1% | -7.3% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1950s | 2.3% | 0.5% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 2.1% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.8% | 1.6% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.6% | 1.4% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.2% | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More population data for South Korea
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.17 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.44 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.17 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3601 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -1.4% (2100)
- Population density 223.86 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 599,530 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.4% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate -0.0908 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel as a share of total population in South Korea?
- Military personnel as a share of total population in South Korea was 1.1% in 2022, according to Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 1955.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1949.
- How does South Korea rank for military personnel as a share of total population?
- South Korea ranks 9th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Ratio of military personnel to total population, expressed as a percentage.