Korea, Rep. vs United Kingdom
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
South Korea and the United Kingdom have remarkably similar-sized economies, though they achieve their GDP through very different means. South Korea's economy is manufacturing-heavy (semiconductors, automotive, shipbuilding, displays), while the UK is services-dominated (financial services, professional services, creative industries). South Korea's GDP per capita has nearly reached the UK's level — a remarkable achievement for a country that was poorer than many African nations in 1960. Both countries have strong cultural export industries: Korean Wave (Hallyu) and British creative industries.
Korea, Rep. has a GDP of $1.93T compared to United Kingdom's $4.26T, making it 2.2x smaller. Korea, Rep.'s population is 51.7M vs United Kingdom's 69.5M. Across 12 key indicators, both countries are evenly matched in categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  Korea, Rep. |  United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $1.93T | $4.26T✓ |
| GDP per Capita | $37,412 | $61,056✓ |
| GDP Growth (%) | 1.9%✓ | 0.8% |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $68,624✓ | $67,585 |
| Population | 51.7M | 69.5M✓ |
| Life Expectancy | 83.6 years✓ | 81.4 years |
| Inflation (%) | 2.5%✓ | 3.2% |
| Unemployment (%) | 2.8%✓ | 5.6% |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 54.4%✓ | 103.6% |
| Fertility Rate | 0.7 | 1.6✓ |
| Gini Index | 32.9 | 32.4✓ |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 11.4 | 4.2✓ |
Summary
Korea, Rep. has a GDP of $1.93T compared to United Kingdom's $4.26T, making the latter economy 2.2x larger. In terms of population, Korea, Rep. has 51.7M people while United Kingdom has 69.5M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Korea, Rep. leads in 6 and United Kingdom leads in 6.
Why sources report different numbers
The IMF, World Bank and United Nations each publish these series on their own release schedule. Where their figures differ, the reason is usually visible in the reference year rather than in the methodology.
| Source | Korea, Rep. | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $1.93T2026 | $4.26T2026 |
| World Bank | $1.87T2025 | $4.00T2025 |
| United Nations | $1.88T2024 | $3.69T2024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Korea, Rep. spans about 3% across 1 year; United Kingdom spans about 16% across 2 years.
| Source | Korea, Rep. | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $37,4122026 | $61,0562026 |
| World Bank | $36,2272025 | $57,6022025 |
| United Nations | $36,2622024 | $53,3122024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Korea, Rep. spans about 3% across 1 year; United Kingdom spans about 15% across 2 years.
Figures are reproduced as published by each source, converted to a common unit, with each publisher's own reference year shown. Differences are described, not adjudicated — no source is presented as more correct than another.
Korea, Rep.United Kingdom