Number of R&D researchers per million people in South Korea
South Korea: Number of R&D researchers per million people was 9,472 per million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
9,472 per million people
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
1st
of 103 countries
All-time high
9,472 per million people
in 2023
All-time low
2,008 per million people
in 1998
Years of data
28
1996–2023
Number of R&D researchers per million people in South Korea, 1996–2023
Source: UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per million people.
Analysis
In 2023, number of r&d researchers per million people in South Korea stood at 9,472 per million people. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 46.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of r&d researchers per million people in South Korea peaked at 9,472 per million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 2,008 per million people, in 1998.
South Korea ranks 1st of 103 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 28 years of available data.
Number of R&D researchers per million people in South Korea, year by year
| Year | per million people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 2,186 per million people | — |
| 1997 | 2,242 per million people | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 2,008 per million people | -10.4% |
| 1999 | 2,161 per million people | +7.6% |
| 2000 | 2,324 per million people | +7.5% |
| 2001 | 2,907 per million people | +25.1% |
| 2002 | 3,008 per million people | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 3,190 per million people | +6.1% |
| 2004 | 3,281 per million people | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 3,763 per million people | +14.7% |
| 2006 | 4,173 per million people | +10.9% |
| 2007 | 4,615 per million people | +10.6% |
| 2008 | 4,892 per million people | +6.0% |
| 2009 | 5,038 per million people | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 5,429 per million people | +7.8% |
| 2011 | 5,909 per million people | +8.8% |
| 2012 | 6,393 per million people | +8.2% |
| 2013 | 6,458 per million people | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 6,867 per million people | +6.3% |
| 2015 | 7,020 per million people | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 7,057 per million people | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 7,453 per million people | +5.6% |
| 2018 | 7,918 per million people | +6.2% |
| 2019 | 8,329 per million people | +5.2% |
| 2020 | 8,620 per million people | +3.5% |
| 2021 | 9,071 per million people | +5.2% |
| 2022 | 9,435 per million people | +4.0% |
| 2023 | 9,472 per million people | +0.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 9,472 per million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 4,601 per million people, 2.1× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 9,472 per million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3,338 per million people, 2.8× the median. (14 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2,149 per million people | 2,008 per million people | 2,242 per million people | 4 |
| 2000s | 3,719 per million people | 2,324 per million people | 5,038 per million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 6,884 per million people | 5,429 per million people | 8,329 per million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 9,150 per million people | 8,620 per million people | 9,472 per million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More science & technology data for South Korea
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 172.52 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.72 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 89.22 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 859.55 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 6.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 6.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 50,459 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 50,459 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of r&d researchers per million people in South Korea?
- Number of r&d researchers per million people in South Korea was 9,472 per million people in 2023, according to UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 9,472 per million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of r&d researchers per million people recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,008 per million people in 1998.
- How does South Korea rank for number of r&d researchers per million people?
- South Korea ranks 1st out of 103 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of r&d researchers per million people rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO UIS Stat Bulk Data Download Service, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of R&D researchers per million people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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