South Korea vs Sweden: Research & development spending as a share of GDP
South Korea
4.9%
in 2023
Sweden
3.6%
in 2023
South Korea rank
2nd
Sweden rank
3rd
Research & development spending as a share of GDP over time
- South Korea
- Sweden
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 4.9% against 3.6% in Sweden, a difference of 1.3%.
That makes South Korea's figure about 1.4 times Sweden's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 24 shared years of data; in 1997 it was Sweden ahead.
South Korea ranks 2nd and Sweden ranks 3rd of 116 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, South Korea averaged higher in 2 and Sweden in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Korea | Sweden | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.1% | 3.3% | 1.3% | Sweden |
| 2000s | 2.6% | 3.5% | 0.9% | Sweden |
| 2010s | 3.8% | 3.3% | 0.6% | South Korea |
| 2020s | 4.7% | 3.5% | 1.2% | South Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher research & development spending as a share of gdp, South Korea or Sweden?
- South Korea, at 4.9% against 3.6% in Sweden as of 2023.
- What is the difference in research & development spending as a share of gdp between South Korea and Sweden?
- 1.3%, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and Sweden?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 1997 to 2023.
- How do South Korea and Sweden rank globally for research & development spending as a share of gdp?
- South Korea ranks 2nd and Sweden ranks 3rd of 116 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Research & development spending as a share of GDP. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Includes basic research, applied research, and experimental development.