Name: South Korea GDP Growth Rate
Creator: TRADING ECONOMICS
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Keywords: South Korea,GDP Growth Rate,data,chart,actual,historical,values,calendar,forecast,graph,2025,2026,2027

South Korea’s economy advanced 0.6% QoQ in the second quarter of 2026, confirming preliminary estimates but easing from 1.8% growth in the first quarter, which was the strongest quarterly expansion since Q1 2021. GDP growth was mainly driven by robust exports, which offset downward pressure from the lingering conflict in the Middle East. Exports rose 1.3%, boosted by IT products such as semiconductors and machinery and equipment, while imports increased at a softer rate of 0.7%. Private consumption climbed 0.4%, supported by higher spending on both goods and services, while government consumption edged up 0.1%. Investment in intellectual property products grew by 3.4%, while facility investment advanced 0.2%. By contrast, construction investment inched down 0.1% as civil engineering activity declined. On a yearly basis, the economy advanced 3.7% in Q2, easing from a 3.8% expansion in Q1, which marked the fastest annual growth since Q4 2021. source: The Bank of Korea

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in South Korea expanded 0.60 percent in the second quarter of 2026 over the previous quarter. GDP Growth Rate in South Korea averaged 1.65 percent from 1960 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 7.80 percent in the fourth quarter of 1970 and a record low of -7.00 percent in the first quarter of 1998. This page provides - South Korea GDP Growth Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. South Korea GDP Growth Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on October of 2026.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in South Korea expanded 0.60 percent in the second quarter of 2026 over the previous quarter. GDP Growth Rate in South Korea is expected to be 1.00 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the South Korea GDP Growth Rate is projected to trend around 0.40 percent in 2027 and 0.50 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.

Related	Last	Previous	Unit	Reference
GDP Growth Rate YoY	3.70	3.80	percent	Jun 2026
GDP Constant Prices	600405.70	596692.80	KRW Billion	Jun 2026
GDP Growth Rate	0.60	1.80	percent	Jun 2026
Gross Fixed Capital Formation	164323.70	163008.20	KRW Billion	Jun 2026
Gross National Product	658868.00	624001.30	KRW Billion	Jun 2026

South Korea GDP Growth Rate

South Korea has an export oriented economy and is the world's leading producer of displays and memory semiconductors and the second largest producer of ships. Services account for the highest percentage of GDP (around 57 percent of GDP). Within services the most important ones are public administration (6 percent ); education (5.3 percent); information and communication (5 percent); and business activities (4.6 percent of GDP). A strong manufacturing industry which has turned South Korea into a major exporter accounts for 32 percent of GDP.

	Actual	Previous	Highest	Lowest	Dates	Unit	Frequency
	0.60	1.80	7.80	-7.00	1960 - 2026	percent	Quarterly	SA

Compare: GDP Growth Rate by Country

News Stream

South Korea Q2 GDP Growth Confirmed at 0.6%

South Korea’s economy advanced 0.6% QoQ in the second quarter of 2026, confirming preliminary estimates but easing from 1.8% growth in the first quarter, which was the strongest quarterly expansion since Q1 2021. GDP growth was mainly driven by robust exports, which offset downward pressure from the lingering conflict in the Middle East. Exports rose 1.3%, boosted by IT products such as semiconductors and machinery and equipment, while imports increased at a softer rate of 0.7%. Private consumption climbed 0.4%, supported by higher spending on both goods and services, while government consumption edged up 0.1%. Investment in intellectual property products grew by 3.4%, while facility investment advanced 0.2%. By contrast, construction investment inched down 0.1% as civil engineering activity declined. On a yearly basis, the economy advanced 3.7% in Q2, easing from a 3.8% expansion in Q1, which marked the fastest annual growth since Q4 2021.

2026-09-07

South Korea Q2 GDP Growth Beats Estimates

South Korea’s economy expanded by 0.6% QoQ in the second quarter of 2026, surpassing expectations of 0.4% but slowing from 1.8% growth in the first quarter, which was the strongest quarterly expansion since Q1 2021, preliminary estimates showed. GDP growth was mainly driven by robust exports, which offset downward pressure from the lingering conflict in the Middle East. Exports grew 1.4%, driven by IT products such as semiconductors and machinery equipment, while imports rose at a softer rate of 0.8%. Private consumption climbed 0.4%, supported by higher spending on both goods and services, while government consumption rose 0.2%. Investment in intellectual property products grew by 3.3%, while facility investment advanced 0.2%. By contrast, construction investment fell 0.2% as civil engineering activity declined. On a yearly basis, the economy grew 3.7% in Q2, easing from 3.8% in Q1, which marked the fastest annual growth since Q4 2021, while remaining above market estimates of 3.5%.

2026-07-22

South Korea Q1 GDP Growth Revised Up to 1.8%

South Korea’s economy advanced by 1.8% QoQ in the first quarter of 2026, exceeding the preliminary estimate of 1.7% and rebounding from a downwardly revised 0.1% contraction in the fourth quarter of 2025. It was the strongest GDP growth since the first quarter of 2021, driven by solid exports and resilient domestic demand. Exports grew 5.9%, driven by IT products such as semiconductors, while imports rose at a more moderate pace of 3.9%. Private consumption increased 0.6%, supported by higher spending on both goods and services, while government consumption fell 0.4%. Construction investment climbed 1.4%, as both building construction and civil engineering activity increased. Facilities investment advanced 6.6%, supported by higher spending on machinery and transportation equipment. On a yearly basis, the economy expanded 3.8% in Q1, above the preliminary estimate of 3.6%, and accelerated from 1.6% in Q4 2025, marking the fastest growth since the fourth quarter of 2021.

2026-06-08