Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard) in South Korea
South Korea: Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard) was 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2021. ▼ Falling
Prosperity gap 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. Measured in average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day.
Analysis
The most recent figure for prosperity gap in South Korea is 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, measured in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
The figure is down 41.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prosperity gap in South Korea peaked at 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2006 and was at its lowest, 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, in 2019.
South Korea ranks 110th of 123 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | — |
| 2008 | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -8.3% |
| 2014 | 1 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -9.1% |
| 2016 | 0.9 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -10.0% |
| 2017 | 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -11.1% |
| 2018 | 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | -12.5% |
| 2020 | 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | +0.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.05 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, 67% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.4 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day, 29% of the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 2 |
| 2010s | 0.9286 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 7 |
| 2020s | 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 107 Austria 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 107 Czechia 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 107 Denmark 0.8 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 110 Canada 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 110 Finland 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 110 Ireland 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
- 110 Malta 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day compare
More poverty & inequality data for South Korea
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 6 surveys (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per person (2025)
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via 0 surveys per US$ 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 prosperity gap in South Korea?
- Prosperity gap in South Korea was 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day 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 prosperity gap recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1.2 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2006.
- What is the lowest prosperity gap recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7 average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day in 2019.
- How does South Korea rank for prosperity gap?
- South Korea ranks 110th out of 123 countries with data for 2021.
- Is prosperity gap rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 Prosperity gap (average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28/day). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The average shortfall from a prosperity standard of $28 per day (adjusted for differences in purchasing power parity across countries). It is measured as the average factor by which incomes fall short of $28.