Korea, Rep.: ICT goods imports (% total goods imports)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, Korea, Rep.'s ICT goods imports (% total goods imports) rose 1.71 percentage points on 2023 (from 14.69% to 16.4%).

Across the 23 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2023), the average change was −0.29 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.43 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 3.18 percentage points in 2015 and the biggest yearly fall was 2.51 percentage points in 2001. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 29% 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 2024, Korea, Rep. had the 8th highest value of the 120 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 2024 ranking

• Thailand — 5th of 120: 17.22%
• Philippines — 6th of 120: 16.44%
• Czechia — 7th of 120: 16.43%
• Paraguay — 9th of 120: 16.12%
• Mexico — 10th of 120: 15.8%
• United Arab Emirates — 11th of 120: 13.62%

What this measures

Information and communication technology goods imports include computers and peripheral equipment, communication equipment, consumer electronic equipment, electronic components, and other information and technology goods (miscellaneous).

Limitations: Detailed trade data are widely available from country trade statistics. These are collected by the UNSD and published in their UN COMTRADE database. The ICT goods trade indicators are usually compiled by interested international and national agencies using COMTRADE data. Concepts are therefore consistent with those applying to the COMTRADE database. The main statistical issue associated with this indicator appears to be the different treatment of re-exports and re-imports by countries, depending on whether the Special or General Trade System is used.2 Re-imports are separately reported for some countries and the value of ICT re-imports (which is included in the value of ICT imports for those…

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

All 25 values

ICT goods imports (% total goods imports) in nearby economies

• Australia — 8.27% (2024)
• Brunei Darussalam — 1.32% (2024)
• Cambodia — 2% (2024)
• China — 22.48% (2024)
• Fiji — 5.2% (2024)
• French Polynesia — 3.03% (2024)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 55.89% (2024)
• Indonesia — 8.11% (2024)
• Japan — 12.39% (2024)
• Kiribati — 3.72% (2021)

More infrastructure data for Korea, Rep.

• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 21.29 million (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 41.17 (2024)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 459,735 (2023)
• Air transport, freight (million ton-km) — 12,294 (2023)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 76.27 million (2023)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 89.22 million (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 172.52 (2024)
• ICT service exports (BoP, current US$) — US$18.72 billion (2025)
• ICT service exports (% of service exports, BoP) — 12.47% (2025)
• Patent applications, nonresidents

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Korea, Rep.'s ICT goods imports (% total goods imports)?

16.4% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2000?

It is down 4.94 percentage points from 21.34% in 2000. The highest value was 21.34% in 2000 and the lowest 9.18% in 2012.

How does Korea, Rep. rank?

8th highest of 120 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in ICT goods imports (% total goods imports) unusual for Korea, Rep.?

In 2024, Korea, Rep.'s ICT goods imports (% total goods imports) rose 1.71 percentage points on 2023 (from 14.69% to 16.4%). Across the 23 yearly changes before that (2001 to 2023), the average change was −0.29 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 1.43 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator TM.VAL.ICTG.ZS.UN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: UNCTADstat database, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), uri: http://unctadstat.unctad.org/ReportFolders/reportFolders.aspx 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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