China vs South Korea: Annual patent applications per million people
China
1,010 applications per million people
in 2021
South Korea
3,598 applications per million people
in 2021
China rank
3rd
South Korea rank
1st
Annual patent applications per million people over time
- China
- South Korea
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 3,598 applications per million people against 1,010 applications per million people in China, a difference of 2,588 applications per million people.
That makes South Korea's figure about 3.6 times China's.
Across all 37 years both countries report, South Korea has been ahead every year.
China ranks 3rd and South Korea ranks 1st of 135 countries.
South Korea has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | South Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3.88 applications per million people | 114.49 applications per million people | 110.61 applications per million people | South Korea |
| 1990s | 9.15 applications per million people | 858.31 applications per million people | 849.16 applications per million people | South Korea |
| 2000s | 76.97 applications per million people | 2,173 applications per million people | 2,096 applications per million people | South Korea |
| 2010s | 636.38 applications per million people | 3,081 applications per million people | 2,445 applications per million people | South Korea |
| 2020s | 981.57 applications per million people | 3,540 applications per million people | 2,558 applications per million people | South Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual patent applications per million people, China or South Korea?
- South Korea, at 3,598 applications per million people against 1,010 applications per million people in China as of 2021.
- What is the difference in annual patent applications per million people between China and South Korea?
- 2,588 applications per million people, with South Korea 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 per million people?
- China ranks 3rd and South Korea ranks 1st of 135 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), via World Bank (2026); United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World i, published as Annual patent applications per million people. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.