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.
Key differences
- On population (2025), South Korea is 49.1% lower than Vietnam.
- On gdp (nominal), South Korea is 263.5% higher than Vietnam.
- On gdp per capita, South Korea is 615.1% higher than Vietnam.
South KoreaVietnam
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.
Data sourcesUN World Population Prospects, IMF, World Bank, SIPRI