South Korea vs Japan
Every indicator for South Korea and Japan side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | South Korea | Japan | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 51,684,564 | 123,366,734 | −58.1% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 1,872 | 4,435 | −57.8% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 36,227 | 35,951 | +0.8% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 83.6 | 84.0 | — |
| Area (km²) | 100,450 | 377,969 | −73.4% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 515 | 326 | +57.6% |
| Median age (years) | 45.5 | 49.4 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 97.9 | 85.5 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 2.7 | 2.5 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 2.1 | 3.2 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 81.2 | 92.3 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024) (million $) | 47,571 | 55,274 | −13.9% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 2.56 | 1.37 | +86.9% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 11.32 | 3.25 | +248.3% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 920 | 448 | +105.4% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 569,000 | 261,000 | +118.0% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 11.0 | 2.1 | +420.4% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 2.01 | 0.38 | +428.9% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of South Korea relative to Japan; a positive value favors South Korea. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
Key differences
- On population (2025), South Korea is 58.1% lower than Japan.
- On gdp (nominal), South Korea is 57.8% lower than Japan.
South KoreaJapan
The indicators use different scales, so the chart is a rough visual comparison only; use the table for exact figures.
Related comparisons
Other comparisons involving South Korea or Japan.
South Korea profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Japan profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI