South Korea vs Vietnam
Every indicator for South Korea and Vietnam side by side, with the percentage gap between them. Sources are listed at the bottom of the page.
| Indicator | South Korea | Vietnam | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2025) (people) | 51,684,564 | 101,598,527 | −49.1% |
| GDP (nominal) (billion $) | 1,872 | 515 | +263.5% |
| GDP per capita ($) | 36,227 | 5,066 | +615.1% |
| Life expectancy (years) | 83.6 | 74.7 | — |
| Area (km²) | 100,450 | 331,338 | −69.7% |
| Population density (people/km²) | 515 | 307 | +67.8% |
| Median age (years) | 45.5 | 33.1 | — |
| Internet usage (%) | 97.9 | 84.2 | — |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 2.7 | 1.5 | — |
| Inflation (%) | 2.1 | 3.3 | — |
| Urban population (%) | 81.2 | 38.8 | — |
| Military expenditure (2024 / 2018) (million $) | 47,571 | 5,500 | +764.9% |
| Military expenditure as a share of GDP (%) | 2.56 | 1.81 | +41.4% |
| Military expenditure as a share of government spending (%) | 11.32 | 8.82 | +28.3% |
| Military expenditure per capita ($) | 920 | 54 | +1,600.2% |
| Armed forces personnel (2020) (people) | 569,000 | 522,000 | +9.0% |
| Armed forces per 1,000 people (people) | 11.0 | 5.1 | +114.3% |
| Armed forces as a share of the labor force (%) | 2.01 | 0.95 | +111.6% |
The difference column shows the percentage gap of South Korea relative to Vietnam; a positive value favors South Korea. Interpret it in context — for unemployment, a lower value is better.
At a glance
South Korea is higher on 10 of the 12 indicators, while Vietnam leads on the remaining 2. The widest separation is in military expenditure per capita, about 17 times; they are closest on armed forces personnel (2020).
Key differences
- Military expenditure per capita shows the widest gap of all: South Korea stands at 920 against Vietnam's 54 — roughly 17 times as much.
- South Korea's military expenditure (2024 / 2018) (47,571) is about 8.6 times Vietnam's (5,500).
- South Korea's gdp per capita (36,227) is about 7.2 times Vietnam's (5,066).
- South Korea's gdp (nominal) (1,872) is about 3.6 times Vietnam's (515).
- Vietnam's area (331,338) is about 3.3 times South Korea's (100,450).
Frequently asked questions
Where do South Korea and Vietnam differ most?
Where are South Korea and Vietnam most alike?
On how many indicators is South Korea ahead of Vietnam?
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 Vietnam.
South Korea profile →
All statistics, series, and details.
Vietnam profile →
All statistics, series, and details.