Korea, Dem. People's Rep.'s military expenditure (current LCU) was 216.6 billion in 2018, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 203.66% from 71.33 billion in 2008 (11.75% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 216.6 billion | 2018 |
| Five years earlier | 105.3 billion | 2013 |
| Ten years earlier | 71.33 billion | 2008 |
| Highest | 216.6 billion | 2018 |
| Lowest | 2.92 billion | 1998 |
| Average since 2009 | 115.14 billion | 2009–2018 |
| First recorded | 4.05 billion |
What the numbers say
In 2018, Korea, Dem. People's Rep.'s military expenditure (current LCU) rose 66.9% on 2017 (from 129.8 billion to 216.6 billion).
Across the 27 yearly changes before that (1987 to 2017), the average change was +58% and a typical year strayed about 276.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 1,440.2% in 2003 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.7% in 1988. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2009 to 2018 the straight-line trend is upward, about 11.04 billion a year. A straight line explains 71% of the movement over 10 observed years.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
Closest to Korea, Dem. People's Rep. in the 2018 ranking
- Uzbekistan — 1st of 3: 11.62 trillion
- Cuba — 3rd of 3: 2.92 billion
What this measures
Military expenditure in local currency at current prices (by calendar year)
Limitations: SIPRI strives to compile reliable, consistent military expenditure data by assessing multiple sources, but accuracy depends on the quality and transparency of those sources. Challenges arise from two key issues: whether reported figures reflect actual spending and how closely they match SIPRI’s definition. While data is generally accurate in developed and many developing countries, weak governance, corruption, and secret transfers in others can lead to major discrepancies. SIPRI sometimes makes estimates, when sources conflict or lack coverage, introducing uncertainty, especially for countries like China or the UAE.
All 31 values
| Year | Military expenditure (current LCU) |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 216,600,000,000 |
| 2017 | 129,800,000,000 |
| 2016 | 123,200,000,000 |
| 2015 | 117,400,000,000 |
| 2014 | 111,300,000,000 |
| 2013 | 105,300,000,000 |
| 2012 | 99,100,000,000 |
| 2011 | 89,800,000,000 |
| 2010 | 82,600,000,000 |
| 2009 | 76,250,000,000 |
Military expenditure (current LCU) in nearby economies
- Australia — 54.81 billion (2025)
- Brunei Darussalam — 748.54 million (2024)
- Cambodia — 2.96 trillion (2025)
- China — 2.41 trillion (2025)
- Fiji — 184.81 million (2025)
- Indonesia — 247.53 trillion (2025)
- Japan — 9.3 trillion (2025)
- Korea, Rep. — 67.92 trillion (2025)
- Malaysia — 21.13 billion (2025)
- Mongolia — 784.57 billion (2025)
- Myanmar
More public sector data for Korea, Dem. People's Rep.
- Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 44 million (2025)
- Armed forces personnel, total — 1.47 million (2020)
- Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 8.62% (2020)
- Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 1 data use score (scale 0-100) — 10 (2024)
- Statistical performance indicators (SPI): Pillar 3 data products score (scale 0-100) — 46.56 (2024)
- Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with disasters (number of cases) — 200 (2022)
Every indicator for Korea, Dem. People's Rep. is on the Korea, Dem. People's Rep. data page.
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Korea, Dem. People's Rep.'s military expenditure (current LCU)?
- 216.6 billion in 2018, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1986?
- It is up 5,255% from 4.05 billion in 1986 (13.25% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 216.6 billion in 2018 and the lowest 2.92 billion in 1998.
- Is the latest change in military expenditure (current LCU) unusual for Korea, Dem. People's Rep.?
- In 2018, Korea, Dem. People's Rep.'s military expenditure (current LCU) rose 66.9% on 2017 (from 129.8 billion to 216.6 billion). Across the 27 yearly changes before that (1987 to 2017), the average change was +58% and a typical year strayed about 276.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
- Where does this data come from?
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator MS.MIL.XPND.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), uri: https://www.sipri.org/databases Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.
Legal entity
Devansh Yadav
Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh
Governing law: Courts at Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh
Phone: +91 8433475698
Legal: legal@analyzeit.in