China vs South Korea: Annual patent applications
China
1.43 million
in 2021
South Korea
186,245
in 2021
China rank
1st
South Korea rank
4th
Annual patent applications over time
- China
- South Korea
How they compare
China currently reports 1.43 million against 186,245 in South Korea, a difference of 1.24 million.
That makes China's figure about 7.7 times South Korea's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 37 shared years of data; in 1985 it was China ahead.
China ranks 1st and South Korea ranks 4th of 135 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, China averaged higher in 2 and South Korea in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | South Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 4,213 | 4,786 | 573.2 | South Korea |
| 1990s | 11,019 | 38,985 | 27,966 | South Korea |
| 2000s | 101,028 | 104,947 | 3,919 | South Korea |
| 2010s | 880,661 | 156,597 | 724,064 | China |
| 2020s | 1.39 million | 183,361 | 1.20 million | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications, China or South Korea?
- China, at 1.43 million against 186,245 in South Korea as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications between China and South Korea?
- 1.24 million, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and South Korea?
- 37 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2021.
- How do China and South Korea rank globally for annual patent applications?
- China ranks 1st and South Korea ranks 4th of 135 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Annual patent applications. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.