Korea, Rep.: Real effective exchange rate index (2010 = 100)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2021, Korea, Rep.'s real effective exchange rate index (2010 = 100) rose 1.99 on 2020 (from 136.98 to 138.97).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2020), the average change was +0.14 and a typical year strayed about 14.24 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 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 19.78 in 2005 and the biggest yearly fall was 48.75 in 1998. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2012 to 2021 the straight-line trend is upward, about 3.23 a year. A straight line explains 48% 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, Rep. in the 2021 ranking

• Hong Kong SAR, China — 2nd of 2: 125.88

What this measures

Real effective exchange rate is the nominal effective exchange rate (a measure of the value of a currency against a weighted average of several foreign currencies) divided by a price deflator or index of costs. This indicator is an index series where 2010=100.

Limitations: Because of conceptual and data limitations, changes in real effective exchange rates should be interpreted with caution.

All 32 values

Real effective exchange rate index (2010 = 100) in nearby economies

• Australia — 89.97 (2025)
• China — 110.09 (2025)
• Fiji — 107.33 (2025)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 125.88 (2021)
• Japan — 56.07 (2025)
• Malaysia — 85.43 (2025)
• New Zealand — 102.13 (2025)
• Papua New Guinea — 116.1 (2025)
• Philippines — 112.49 (2025)
• Samoa — 115.71 (2025)

More financial sector data for Korea, Rep.

• Consumer price index (2010 = 100) — 135 (2025)
• Inflation, consumer prices (annual % growth) — 2.12% (2025)
• GDP deflator (base year varies by country) — 115.03 (2025)
• DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) — US$1,422 (2025)
• Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) — US$1,422 (2025)
• Domestic credit to private sector by banks (% of GDP) — 160.35% (2024)
• Net domestic credit (current LCU) — 5,011.73 trillion (2024)
• Net foreign assets (current LCU) — 627.85 trillion (2024)
• Monetary sector credit to private sector (% of GDP) — 160.35% (2024)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Korea, Rep.'s real effective exchange rate index (2010 = 100)?

138.97 in 2021, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1990?

It is up 4.67% from 132.77 in 1990 (0.15% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 164.43 in 1996 and the lowest 91.61 in 2009.

Is the latest change in real effective exchange rate index (2010 = 100) unusual for Korea, Rep.?

In 2021, Korea, Rep.'s real effective exchange rate index (2010 = 100) rose 1.99 on 2020 (from 136.98 to 138.97). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1991 to 2020), the average change was +0.14 and a typical year strayed about 14.24 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 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?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator PX.REX.REER, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF) 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.