Euro area vs South Korea: Research and development expenditure

Euro area
2.3%
in 2023
South Korea
4.9%
in 2023
Euro area rank
1st
South Korea rank
2nd

Research and development expenditure over time

  • Euro area
  • South Korea
2345199620092023

How they compare

South Korea currently reports 4.9% against 2.3% in Euro area, a difference of 2.6%.

That makes South Korea's figure about 2.2 times Euro area's.

Across all 28 years both countries report, South Korea has been ahead every year.

Euro area ranks 1st and South Korea ranks 2nd of 2 groups.

South Korea has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Euro area South Korea Difference Ahead
1990s 1.7% 2.1% 0.3% South Korea
2000s 1.8% 2.5% 0.6% South Korea
2010s 2.1% 3.8% 1.7% South Korea
2020s 2.3% 4.7% 2.5% South Korea

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher research and development expenditure, Euro area or South Korea?
South Korea, at 4.9% against 2.3% in Euro area as of 2023.
What is the difference in research and development expenditure between Euro area and South Korea?
2.6%, with South Korea ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Euro area and South Korea?
28 years are reported by both, from 1996 to 2023.
How do Euro area and South Korea rank globally for research and development expenditure?
Euro area ranks 1st and South Korea ranks 2nd of 2 groups.
Where does this data come from?
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Research and development expenditure (% of GDP). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Euro area vs South Korea: Research and development expenditure. Statizoid, drawing on Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/research-and-development-expenditure-percent-of-gdp/euro-area/korea-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Research and development expenditure (% of GDP)
Unit
% of GDP
Source
Stat Bulk Data Download Service, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
147 places, 3,092 data points, 1996–2024
Last refreshed

Gross domestic expenditures on research and development (R&D), expressed as a percent of GDP. They include both capital and current expenditures in the four main sectors: Business enterprise, Government, Higher education and Private non-profit. R&D covers basic research, applied research, and experimental development.