Fiatmap

MacroSouth Korea

Government debt in South Korea

How indebted is the state my taxes would go to?

South Korea's government debt is 52.40 % — #58 of 125 countries on the atlas (lower is better). Period 2025.

52.40%

Checked 24 Oct 2026Period 2025

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook (general government gross debt, % of GDP)

The central government owes about 0.5 years' worth of the country's entire economic output.

Government debt in South Korea over time

52.40 %42.95 %33.50 %33.50 % · 20122012: 33.50 %2013: 36.00 %2014: 37.90 %2015: 38.80 %2016: 39.10 %2017: 38.00 %2018: 37.90 %2019: 39.70 %2020: 45.90 %2021: 47.90 %2022: 49.70 %2023: 50.60 %2024: 49.60 %2025: 52.40 %20122019202552.40 %
14 official observations, 2012 → 2025. Every point is a published value — never interpolated.
Rank
#58 of 125
lower is better
Ranked behind
54 %
67 of 125 countries
Latest move
▲ 2.80 pp
since 2024
Full series
▲ 18.90 pp
since 2012

In Asia: #23 of 37vs median 54.70 %: −2.30 pp (better)

Among 125 countries

6 of 125 countries between 12.30 % and 17.90 %2 of 125 countries between 17.90 % and 23.49 %10 of 125 countries between 23.49 % and 29.09 %11 of 125 countries between 29.09 % and 34.68 %8 of 125 countries between 34.68 % and 40.28 %9 of 125 countries between 40.28 % and 45.88 %7 of 125 countries between 45.88 % and 51.47 %13 of 125 countries between 51.47 % and 57.07 %8 of 125 countries between 57.07 % and 62.66 %10 of 125 countries between 62.66 % and 68.26 %4 of 125 countries between 68.26 % and 73.85 %3 of 125 countries between 73.85 % and 79.45 %7 of 125 countries between 79.45 % and 85.05 %6 of 125 countries between 85.05 % and 90.64 %2 of 125 countries between 90.64 % and 96.24 %6 of 125 countries between 96.24 % and 101.83 %2 of 125 countries between 101.83 % and 107.43 %1 of 125 countries between 107.43 % and 113.02 %2 of 125 countries between 113.02 % and 118.62 %1 of 125 countries between 124.22 % and 129.81 %2 of 125 countries between 135.41 % and 141.00 %5 of 125 countries between 141.00 % and 146.60 %median 54.70 %South Korea: ahead of 54 % of the 125 countries with a published government debtSouth Korea 52.40 %12.30 %146.60 %
Half of all 125 countries sit between 36.10 % and 81.70 %. South Korea is ahead of 54 % of them. Axis trimmed to the 2nd–98th percentile; 5 values beyond it sit in the end bars.

The neighbourhood

#CountryGovernment debtvs South Korea
56 Myanmar51.90 %−0.50 pp
57 Algeria52.10 %−0.30 pp
58 South Korea52.40 %—
59 Iraq52.80 %+0.40 pp
60 Angola52.90 %+0.50 pp

General government gross debt as a share of GDP (IMF World Economic Outlook, annual).

How to read this figure

Central government debt as a share of GDP (World Bank). General government debt (including local government and social funds) can be meaningfully higher; comparisons across countries are indicative.

Next, about South Korea

Debt per personGDP growthInflation rate
Government debt, all countries ranked →Compare South Korea with another country →Everything about South Korea →
Did this answer your question?