Reserves in months of imports — all countries

Reserves in months of imports — South Korea

Reserves in months of imports in South Korea in 2025 — 6.46 months. Ranked 24 in the world out of 87. Since 1976, the indicator has risen by 174.4%.

2025 6.46 months +4.27% vs 2024
World rank 24of 87
Period maximum 9.35 months2020
Period minimum 0.96 months1983

Trend over time

1976–2025 · months of imports

Reserves in months of imports — South Korea, 1976–202502.557.510197619811986199119962001200620112016202120251976: 2.36 months1977: 2.7 months1978: 1.81 months1979: 1.55 months1980: 1.33 months1981: 1.05 months1982: 1.14 months1983: 0.96 months1984: 1.04 months1985: 1.16 months1986: 1.11 months1987: 0.97 months1988: 2.65 months1989: 2.74 months1990: 2.32 months1991: 1.84 months1992: 2.26 months1993: 2.53 months1994: 2.62 months1995: 2.49 months1996: 2.31 months1997: 1.4 months1998: 5.15 months1999: 6.02 months2000: 5.81 months2001: 6.82 months2002: 7.55 months2003: 8.33 months2004: 8.54 months2005: 7.61 months2006: 7.28 months2007: 6.86 months2008: 4.46 months2009: 7.8 months2010: 6.55 months2011: 5.39 months2012: 5.77 months2013: 6.2 months2014: 6.54 months2015: 7.92 months2016: 8.39 months2017: 7.56 months2018: 7.12 months2019: 7.71 months2020: 9.35 months2021: 7.5 months2022: 5.9 months2023: 6.32 months2024: 6.2 months2025: 6.46 months
Change over the period: +4.11 (+174.37%) Average annual rate: 2.08 %

Comparison, 2025

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

South Korea 6.46 months
World 8.89 months
East Asia & Pacific 11.35 months
Reserves in months of imports — South Korea, by year South Korea All countries CSV XLSX
Year months Change Change, %
2025 6.46 +0.26 +4.27%
2024 6.2 −0.12 −1.89%
2023 6.32 +0.42 +7.06%
2022 5.9 −1.6 −21.36%
2021 7.5 −1.85 −19.76%
2020 9.35 +1.64 +21.25%
2019 7.71 +0.59 +8.29%
2018 7.12 −0.44 −5.77%
2017 7.56 −0.83 −9.9%
2016 8.39 +0.47 +5.91%
2015 7.92 +1.38 +21.07%
2014 6.54 +0.34 +5.55%
2013 6.2 +0.43 +7.44%
2012 5.77 +0.38 +6.99%
2011 5.39 −1.15 −17.64%
2010 6.55 −1.26 −16.1%
2009 7.8 +3.34 +74.78%
2008 4.46 −2.39 −34.89%
2007 6.86 −0.42 −5.78%
2006 7.28 −0.34 −4.44%
2005 7.61 −0.93 −10.87%
2004 8.54 +0.21 +2.53%
2003 8.33 +0.78 +10.36%
2002 7.55 +0.73 +10.73%
2001 6.82 +1.01 +17.32%
2000 5.81 −0.21 −3.45%
1999 6.02 +0.87 +16.98%
1998 5.15 +3.75 +267.83%
1997 1.4 −0.91 −39.43%
1996 2.31 −0.18 −7.3%
1995 2.49 −0.12 −4.77%
1994 2.62 +0.08 +3.24%
1993 2.53 +0.28 +12.38%
1992 2.26 +0.42 +22.6%
1991 1.84 −0.48 −20.78%
1990 2.32 −0.42 −15.21%
1989 2.74 +0.09 +3.3%
1988 2.65 +1.68 +173.72%
1987 0.97 −0.14 −12.39%
1986 1.11 −0.05 −4.65%
1985 1.16 +0.12 +11.05%
1984 1.04 +0.09 +9.22%
1983 0.96 −0.19 −16.36%
1982 1.14 +0.09 +8.89%
1981 1.05 −0.28 −20.97%
1980 1.33 −0.22 −14.18%
1979 1.55 −0.26 −14.59%
1978 1.81 −0.89 −32.95%
1977 2.7 +0.35 +14.72%
1976 2.36

Eastern Asia, 2025

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

About the indicator

The ratio of international reserves to average monthly imports of goods and services. The commonly accepted minimum benchmark of adequacy is three months of imports; below that level a country becomes vulnerable to external shocks and to a halt in the inflow of capital.

Important: The aggregate is weighted by imports: all of the reserves of a group divided by its average monthly imports. Weighting by population or GDP will not do here — imports are precisely what stands in the denominator of the indicator.

Source: World Economic Outlook (IMF), license IMF open data.