Updated
Overview
South Korea has 4.7 times the population of Czechia (Czech Republic): 51.68 million people against 10.89 million (2025).
South Korea's economy is 4.8 times the size of Czechia (Czech Republic)'s, at $1.87T versus $391.03B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | South Korea | Czechia (Czech Republic) | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $1.87T | $391.03B | 2025 | $1.71T / $345.04B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $36,227 | $35,917 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 1.0% | Higher: 2.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 2.1% | 2.5% | 2025 | 2.3% / 2.4% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.7% | 2.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 57 | 59 | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | Higher: $3,168 | $2,716 | 2022 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $1,511 | $951 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $3.84 | $5.43 | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 51.68 million | 10.89 million | 2025 | 51.49 million / 10.84 million |
| Population growth | -0.1% | -0.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 45.6 yrs | 43.8 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 0.75 | 1.47 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 83.6 yrs | 80.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 81% | 73% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 98% | 88% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 100,210 km² | 78,865 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 515.8/km² | 138.0/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 584 Mt | Lower: 76 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 11.3 t | Lower: 7.0 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $47.57B | $6.52B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.6% | 1.9% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 569,000 | 27,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Czechia (Czech Republic) is growing faster: 2.6% annual GDP growth versus 1.0%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 2.1% in South Korea and 2.5% in Czechia (Czech Republic).
Average monthly earnings favour South Korea: $3,168 against $2,716 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 45.6 (South Korea) and 43.8 (Czechia (Czech Republic)).
Life expectancy is 3.7 years longer in South Korea (83.6 vs 80.0).
Internet adoption is higher in South Korea (98% vs 88% of the population).
Geography
By land area, South Korea is 27% larger than Czechia (Czech Republic): 100,210 km² versus 78,865 km².
South Korea is far more densely settled: 516 people per km² against 138.
Military
South Korea spends 7.3 times as much on defence as Czechia (Czech Republic): $47.57B versus $6.52B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
South Korea fields the larger armed forces: 569,000 personnel against 27,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is South Korea bigger than Czechia (Czech Republic)?
- South Korea is larger by land area. South Korea covers 100,210 km² while Czechia (Czech Republic) covers 78,865 km², so South Korea is 27% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, South Korea or Czechia (Czech Republic)?
- South Korea has the larger population: 51.68 million versus 10.89 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is South Korea richer than Czechia (Czech Republic)?
- They are effectively level on GDP per capita: $36,227 for South Korea against $35,917 for Czechia (Czech Republic), a gap too small to call. Total GDP tells the same story: $1.87T for South Korea versus $391.03B for Czechia (Czech Republic).
- Who spends more on their military, South Korea or Czechia (Czech Republic)?
- South Korea spends more: $47.57B versus $6.52B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).
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