Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in South Korea
South Korea: Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp was 0.3776 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in South Korea, 1976–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in South Korea is 0.3776, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.8% on the previous year and down 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in South Korea peaked at 1.45 in 1986 and was at its lowest, 0.1483, in 1979.
That places South Korea 153rd out of 194 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 50 years of available data.
Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 0.1548 | — |
| 1977 | 0.2637 | +70.4% |
| 1978 | 0.1988 | -24.6% |
| 1979 | 0.1483 | -25.4% |
| 1980 | 0.8454 | +469.9% |
| 1981 | 0.9296 | +10.0% |
| 1982 | 0.9813 | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 1.03 | +4.7% |
| 1984 | 0.9479 | -7.7% |
| 1985 | 1.12 | +17.7% |
| 1986 | 1.45 | +29.7% |
| 1987 | 1.36 | -6.0% |
| 1988 | 1.22 | -10.4% |
| 1989 | 0.8603 | -29.4% |
| 1990 | 0.8262 | -4.0% |
| 1991 | 0.7856 | -4.9% |
| 1992 | 0.7976 | +1.5% |
| 1993 | 0.7116 | -10.8% |
| 1994 | 0.6442 | -9.5% |
| 1995 | 0.5592 | -13.2% |
| 1996 | 0.5313 | -5.0% |
| 1997 | 0.6597 | +24.1% |
| 1998 | 1.25 | +89.1% |
| 1999 | 0.84 | -32.6% |
| 2000 | 0.7571 | -9.9% |
| 2001 | 0.7957 | +5.1% |
| 2002 | 0.79 | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 0.8065 | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 0.7209 | -10.6% |
| 2005 | 0.5352 | -25.8% |
| 2006 | 0.4428 | -17.3% |
| 2007 | 0.4222 | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 0.6393 | +51.4% |
| 2009 | 0.6103 | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 0.4907 | -19.6% |
| 2011 | 0.5051 | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 0.4934 | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 0.4514 | -8.5% |
| 2014 | 0.4224 | -6.4% |
| 2015 | 0.4199 | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 0.4131 | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 0.3816 | -7.6% |
| 2018 | 0.3906 | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 0.4092 | +4.8% |
| 2020 | 0.4305 | +5.2% |
| 2021 | 0.401 | -6.8% |
| 2022 | 0.4369 | +8.9% |
| 2023 | 0.3852 | -11.8% |
| 2024 | 0.3883 | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 0.3776 | -2.8% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.3776 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.7013, 54% of the median. (69 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.3776 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.4, 11% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | +469.9% | 0.1483 | 0.8454 |
| 1998 | +89.1% | 0.6597 | 1.25 |
| 1977 | +70.4% | 0.1548 | 0.2637 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1914 | 0.1483 | 0.2637 | 4 |
| 1980s | 1.07 | 0.8454 | 1.45 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7603 | 0.5313 | 1.25 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.652 | 0.4222 | 0.8065 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4378 | 0.3816 | 0.5051 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4033 | 0.3776 | 0.4369 | 6 |
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)
- Population growth rate -1.45 (2100)
- Population density 223.86 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 599,530 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -1.45 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 0.007 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in South Korea?
- Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp in South Korea was 0.3776 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1.45 in 1986.
- What is the lowest money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1483 in 1979.
- How does South Korea rank for money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp?
- South Korea ranks 153rd out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Money sent or brought back by migrants as a share of gdp. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).