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Armed forces personnel — all countries

Armed forces personnel — South Korea

Armed forces personnel in South Korea in 2020 — 569,000 people. Ranked 11 in the world out of 170. Since 1985, the indicator has fallen by 4.8%.

2020 569,000 people −7.18% vs 2019
World rank 11of 170
Period maximum 750,000 people1991
Period minimum 569,000 people2020

Trend over time

1985–2020 · people

Armed forces personnel — South Korea, 1985–2020550,000600,000650,000700,000750,00019851989199319972001200520092013201720201985: 598,000 people1989: 647,000 people1990: 650,000 people1991: 750,000 people1992: 750,000 people1993: 750,000 people1994: 750,000 people1995: 641,000 people1996: 668,000 people1997: 676,500 people1998: 676,500 people1999: 676,500 people2000: 687,500 people2001: 687,500 people2002: 690,500 people2003: 690,500 people2004: 696,000 people2005: 693,000 people2006: 692,000 people2007: 692,000 people2008: 692,000 people2009: 659,500 people2010: 659,500 people2011: 659,500 people2012: 659,500 people2013: 659,500 people2014: 632,500 people2015: 634,500 people2016: 634,000 people2017: 634,000 people2018: 608,000 people2019: 613,000 people2020: 569,000 people
Change over the period: −29,000 (−4.85%) Average annual rate: -0.14 %

Comparison, 2020

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South Korea

South Korea 569,000 people
World 27.41M people
East Asia & Pacific 7.91M people
Eastern Asia computed 4.85M people
High-income countries computed 6.77M people
Armed forces personnel — South Korea, by year South Korea All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2020 569,000 −44,000 −7.18%
2019 613,000 +5,000 +0.82%
2018 608,000 −26,000 −4.1%
2017 634,000 +0 +0%
2016 634,000 −500 −0.08%
2015 634,500 +2,000 +0.32%
2014 632,500 −27,000 −4.09%
2013 659,500 +0 +0%
2012 659,500 +0 +0%
2011 659,500 +0 +0%
2010 659,500 +0 +0%
2009 659,500 −32,500 −4.7%
2008 692,000 +0 +0%
2007 692,000 +0 +0%
2006 692,000 −1,000 −0.14%
2005 693,000 −3,000 −0.43%
2004 696,000 +5,500 +0.8%
2003 690,500 +0 +0%
2002 690,500 +3,000 +0.44%
2001 687,500 +0 +0%
2000 687,500 +11,000 +1.63%
1999 676,500 +0 +0%
1998 676,500 +0 +0%
1997 676,500 +8,500 +1.27%
1996 668,000 +27,000 +4.21%
1995 641,000 −109,000 −14.53%
1994 750,000 +0 +0%
1993 750,000 +0 +0%
1992 750,000 +0 +0%
1991 750,000 +100,000 +15.38%
1990 650,000 +3,000 +0.46%
1989 647,000 — —
1985 598,000 — —

Eastern Asia, 2020

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

CN China 2.54M KP North Korea 1.47M KR South Korea 569,000 JP Japan 261,000 MN Mongolia 18,000
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The total number of active military personnel: all branches of the armed forces, as well as paramilitary forces if their training, structure and equipment allow them to be used in support of the regular forces. Reservists are not counted. Estimates of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

Source: Military Expenditure Database (SIPRI), license SIPRI terms of use.

Other indicators for South Korea

Defense Military expenditure in dollars

The absolute volume of defense spending in current US dollars.

South Korea by year Defense Military expenditure (% of GDP)

The share of GDP a country spends on defense.

South Korea by year Demography Population

Resident population of every country as of mid-year — series from 1960 onward.

South Korea by year Defense Military expenditure share of the budget

What part of government spending goes to defense.

South Korea by year Defense Arms exports

Transfers of major conventional weapons abroad, in SIPRI trend-indicator values (TIV).

South Korea by year Defense Arms imports

Purchases of major conventional weapons abroad.

South Korea by year
All indicators for South Korea