Ratio of government expenditure to GDP in South Korea from 1995 to 2031

The ratio of government expenditure to GDP in South Korea amounted to 35.94 percent in 2025. Between 1995 and 2025, the ratio rose by 22.43 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend. The ratio is forecast to decline by 0.57 percentage points from 2025 to 2031, fluctuating as it trends downward.

Shown here is the general government expenditure as a share of the national gross domestic product. As defined by the International Monetary Fund, the general government expenditure consists of total expense and the net acquisition of nonfinancial assets. The gross domestic product represents the total value of final goods and services produced during a year.