Income share of the richest 10% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax) in South Korea
South Korea: Income share of the richest 10% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax) was 37.8% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Income share of the richest 10% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax) in South Korea, 1982–2022
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 37.8% for income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.4% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) in South Korea peaked at 38.5% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 25.9%, in 1996.
South Korea ranks 76th of 113 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.
Income share of the richest 10% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 32.2% | — |
| 1991 | 30.8% | -4.3% |
| 1996 | 25.9% | -15.9% |
| 2000 | 28.8% | +10.9% |
| 2007 | 35.6% | +23.9% |
| 2008 | 36.3% | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 36.0% | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 38.4% | +6.4% |
| 2011 | 37.8% | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 37.3% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 35.7% | -4.4% |
| 2014 | 36.1% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 36.9% | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 37.7% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 38.5% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 38.2% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 36.8% | -3.8% |
| 2020 | 37.4% | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 38.3% | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 37.8% | -1.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 37.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 35.3%, 1.1× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 37.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 44.6%, 85% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 32.2% | 32.2% | 32.2% | 1 |
| 1990s | 28.4% | 25.9% | 30.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 34.2% | 28.8% | 36.3% | 4 |
| 2010s | 37.3% | 35.7% | 38.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.8% | 37.4% | 38.3% | 3 |
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 income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) in South Korea?
- Income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) in South Korea was 37.8% in 2022, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 38.5% in 2017.
- What is the lowest income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.9% in 1996.
- How does South Korea rank for income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax)?
- South Korea ranks 76th out of 113 countries with data for 2022.
- Is income share of the richest 10% vs. gini coefficient (before tax) rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Income share of the richest 10% vs. Gini coefficient (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of income received by the richest 10% of the population. Income here is measured before taxes and benefits.