Korea, Rep.: Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Korea, Rep.'s arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) rose 83.3% on 2024 (from 1.1 billion to 2.02 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1989 to 2024), the average change was +57.3% and a typical year strayed about 138% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 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 538.9% in 2001 and the biggest yearly fall was 88.7% in 1994. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 25% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Korea, Rep. had the 4th highest value of the 42 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Korea, Rep. in the 2025 ranking

• United States — 1st of 42: 13.98 billion
• France — 2nd of 42: 3.37 billion
• Israel — 3rd of 42: 2.62 billion
• Russian Federation — 5th of 42: 1.94 billion
• Italy — 6th of 42: 1.92 billion
• Germany — 7th of 42: 1.7 billion

What this measures

Arms transfers (exports) cover the volume of transfers of major arms through sales and gifts, and those made through manufacturing licenses. Data cover major conventional weapons such as aircraft, armored vehicles, artillery, radar systems, missiles, and ships. Figures are SIPRI Trend Indicator Values (TIVs). A '0' indicates that the volume of deliveries is between 0 and 0.5 million SIPRI TIV.

Limitations: SIPRI calculates the volume of transfers to, from and between all parties using the TIV and the number of weapon systems or subsystems delivered in a given year. This data is intended to provide a common unit to allow the measurement if trends in the flow of arms to particular countries and regions over time. Therefore, the main priority is to ensure that the TIV system remains consistent over time, and that any changes introduced are backdated. SIPRI TIV figures do not represent sales prices for arms transfers.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 43 values

Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) in nearby economies

• Australia — 108 million (2025)
• China — 880 million (2025)
• Indonesia — 17 million (2021)
• Japan — 28 million (2025)
• Korea, Dem. People's Rep. — 44 million (2025)
• New Zealand — 20 million (2023)
• Singapore — 79 million (2025)

More public sector data for Korea, Rep.

• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 222 million (2025)
• Military expenditure (current USD) — 47.77 billion (2025)
• Military expenditure (current LCU) — 67.92 trillion (2025)
• Military expenditure (% of GDP) — 2.6% (2025)
• Net incurrence of liabilities, total (current LCU) — 51.22 trillion (2024)
• Net incurrence of liabilities, total (% of GDP) — 2% (2024)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (current LCU) — 33.54 trillion (2024)
• Net investment in nonfinancial assets (% of GDP) — 1.31% (2024)
• Net lending (+) / net borrowing (-) (current LCU) — -45.65 trillion (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Korea, Rep.'s arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values)?

2.02 billion in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1972?

It is up 1,333% from 141 million in 1972 (5.15% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 2.02 billion in 2025 and the lowest 7 million in 1994.

How does Korea, Rep. rank?

4th highest of 42 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) unusual for Korea, Rep.?

In 2025, Korea, Rep.'s arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values) rose 83.3% on 2024 (from 1.1 billion to 2.02 billion). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1989 to 2024), the average change was +57.3% and a typical year strayed about 138% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator MS.MIL.XPRT.KD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Arms Transfers Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), uri: https://armstransfers.sipri.org/ArmsTransfer/ 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.

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