Gini index in South Korea
South Korea: Gini index was 32.9 in 2021. ▲ Rising
Gini index in South Korea, 2006–2021
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
Analysis
The most recent figure for gini index in South Korea is 32.9, measured in 2021.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gini index in South Korea peaked at 35.2 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 31.2, in 2014.
That places South Korea 78th out of 123 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Gini index in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 31.7 | — |
| 2008 | 32.3 | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 32 | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 31.6 | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 31.2 | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 35.2 | +12.8% |
| 2017 | 34.9 | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 33.7 | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 33.2 | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 32.7 | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 32.9 | +0.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 32.9 is above the median for high income countries, which is 32.05, 1.0× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 32.9 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 34.4, 96% of the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 32 | 31.7 | 32.3 | 2 |
| 2010s | 33.11 | 31.2 | 35.2 | 7 |
| 2020s | 32.8 | 32.7 | 32.9 | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More poverty & inequality data for South Korea
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 6 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 0.72 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 6,615 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 0.0454 % change on previous year (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 26.87 (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 26.9% (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gini index in South Korea?
- Gini index in South Korea was 32.9 in 2021, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest gini index recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 35.2 in 2016.
- What is the lowest gini index recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.2 in 2014.
- How does South Korea rank for gini index?
- South Korea ranks 78th out of 123 countries with data for 2021.
- Is gini index rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Gini index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Gini index measures the extent to which the distribution of income (or, in some cases, consumption expenditure) among individuals or households within an economy deviates from a perfectly equal distribution. A Lorenz curve plots the cumulative percentages of total income received against the cumulative number of recipients, starting with the poorest individual or household. The Gini index measures the area between the Lorenz curve and a hypothetical line of absolute equality, expressed as a percentage of the maximum area under the line. Thus a Gini index of 0 represents perfect equality, while an index of 100 implies perfect inequality.