South Korea vs Japan GDP, 1960 to 2025
Japan had $4,435.16 billion in GDP in 2025, versus $1,872.37 billion for South Korea. Compare World Bank annual data.
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What the data shows
- South Korea: $3.97B in 1960, $1,872.37B in 2025. It peaked at $1,942.31B in 2021.
- Japan: $48.42B in 1960, $4,435.16B in 2025 (92× higher). It peaked at $6,333.80B in 2012.
About this chart
Japan remains ahead of South Korea throughout the shared annual GDP series from 1960 to 2025. In the final year, the comparison is $4,435.16 billion against $1,872.37 billion. The 2025 gap is $2,562.79 billion, and the larger total is about 2.37 times the smaller one. This compares the size of the two economies, not income per resident.
At the start of the common series in 1960, South Korea recorded $3.97 billion and Japan recorded $48.42 billion. The World Bank reports these totals in current US dollars. Inflation and exchange rates can change this comparison, so a rising dollar total does not by itself establish real economic growth. A purchasing-power or per-person comparison would answer a different question.
The data
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (NY.GDP.MKTP.CD), GDP in current US$, current US$ billions. Retrieved November 5, 2026. Nominal GDP in current US dollars; not adjusted for inflation or differences in purchasing power.
| Date | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 🇯🇵 Japan |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | $3.97B | $48.42B |
| 1961 | $2.43B | $58.47B |
| 1962 | $2.83B | $66.36B |
| 1963 | $4.01B | $75.95B |
| 1964 | $3.48B | $89.33B |
| 1965 | $3.14B | $99.39B |
| 1966 | $3.96B | $115.43B |
| 1967 | $4.90B | $135.27B |
| 1968 | $6.17B | $160.20B |
| 1969 | $7.74B | $188.18B |
| 1970 | $9.09B | $221.80B |
| 1971 | $10.01B | $250.53B |
| 1972 | $10.99B | $331.78B |
| 1973 | $14.07B | $450.76B |
| 1974 | $19.86B | $500.36B |
| 1975 | $22.13B | $544.08B |
| 1976 | $30.37B | $611.50B |
| 1977 | $39.06B | $752.59B |
| 1978 | $52.82B | $1,057.42B |
| 1979 | $68.08B | $1,100.61B |
| 1980 | $66.55B | $1,153.16B |
| 1981 | $74.29B | $1,271.44B |
| 1982 | $79.92B | $1,183.13B |
| 1983 | $89.62B | $1,297.62B |
| 1984 | $99.75B | $1,374.17B |
| 1985 | $103.76B | $1,457.07B |
| 1986 | $119.97B | $2,164.73B |
| 1987 | $152.24B | $2,635.09B |
| 1988 | $205.48B | $3,191.55B |
| 1989 | $254.24B | $3,174.93B |
| 1990 | $292.06B | $3,252.99B |
| 1991 | $340.85B | $3,724.89B |
| 1992 | $366.92B | $4,064.53B |
| 1993 | $405.71B | $4,632.48B |
| 1994 | $479.18B | $5,104.06B |
| 1995 | $586.29B | $5,639.65B |
| 1996 | $631.20B | $5,021.44B |
| 1997 | $589.20B | $4,579.78B |
| 1998 | $397.30B | $4,150.36B |
| 1999 | $515.70B | $4,688.98B |
| 2000 | $597.49B | $5,042.38B |
| 2001 | $567.56B | $4,438.79B |
| 2002 | $650.01B | $4,245.95B |
| 2003 | $728.52B | $4,573.41B |
| 2004 | $823.25B | $4,941.49B |
| 2005 | $971.74B | $4,875.65B |
| 2006 | $1,095.18B | $4,648.06B |
| 2007 | $1,220.91B | $4,624.67B |
| 2008 | $1,091.58B | $5,160.20B |
| 2009 | $983.07B | $5,336.77B |
| 2010 | $1,192.83B | $5,811.58B |
| 2011 | $1,307.10B | $6,279.42B |
| 2012 | $1,335.34B | $6,333.80B |
| 2013 | $1,434.67B | $5,272.30B |
| 2014 | $1,556.25B | $4,985.76B |
| 2015 | $1,539.21B | $4,534.44B |
| 2016 | $1,579.15B | $5,110.36B |
| 2017 | $1,710.20B | $5,038.23B |
| 2018 | $1,824.25B | $5,154.29B |
| 2019 | $1,751.05B | $5,245.76B |
| 2020 | $1,744.07B | $5,189.20B |
| 2021 | $1,942.31B | $5,225.93B |
| 2022 | $1,799.36B | $4,447.98B |
| 2023 | $1,844.80B | $4,384.85B |
| 2024 | $1,875.39B | $4,190.01B |
| 2025 | $1,872.37B | $4,435.16B |
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Frequently asked questions
Which economy is larger, South Korea or Japan?
Japan has the larger GDP in 2025: $4,435.16 billion, compared with $1,872.37 billion for South Korea. These are World Bank nominal GDP totals in current US dollars.
How large is the GDP gap?
The 2025 gap is about $2,562.79 billion. Japan has approximately 2.37 times the GDP of South Korea, using the same year and currency basis.
When did Japan have its highest GDP in this series?
Japan reaches its highest current-dollar GDP in the displayed series in 2012, at $6,333.80 billion. This is a nominal dollar peak, not necessarily a peak in inflation-adjusted output.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank, World Development Indicators (NY.GDP.MKTP.CD), GDP in current US$, current US$ billions. Retrieved November 5, 2026. Nominal GDP in current US dollars; not adjusted for inflation or differences in purchasing power. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.
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