🇰🇷 South Korea National Debt Clock
Live tracker for South Korea government debt. The national debt currently stands at approximately $1.03 trillion, growing at $2K per second based on IMF fiscal deficit projections. Debt-to-GDP: 52%. Per-citizen share: $19,907.
About South Korea's National Debt
South Korea historically ran low public debt, but an aging population and rising social-spending demands have pushed the ratio gradually higher. It remains well within sustainable territory for an advanced economy.
South Korea's debt-to-GDP ratio of 52% sits broadly within the range the IMF considers sustainable for an economy with sound institutions. By total government debt, South Korea ranks 15th of the 137 governments tracked here.
At the current borrowing rate of $2K per second, South Korea adds about $0.2 billion to its national debt every day — roughly $73 billion per year. Each of South Korea's 52 million citizens carries an individual share of approximately $19,907. That is above the world average of roughly $12,600 in government debt per person.
Figures are computed by Global Debt Clock using linear extrapolation from IMF general government gross debt baselines (Fiscal Monitor / WEO April 2026) and national treasury data. Actual debt changes through discrete bond issuances — these counters illustrate the approximate scale and pace of sovereign borrowing.
South Korea National Debt — Frequently Asked Questions
What is South Korea's national debt right now?
South Korea's national debt is approximately $1.03 trillion as of September 12, 2026, growing at $2K per second. Its debt-to-GDP ratio is 52% and each citizen's share is about $19,907.
How fast is South Korea's debt growing?
South Korea's government debt is growing at approximately $2K per second — about $0.2 billion per day — derived from IMF fiscal projections anchored to the April 2026 baseline.
What is South Korea's debt per capita?
Each of South Korea's 52 million citizens carries a notional share of approximately $19,907 of the national debt.
What is South Korea's debt-to-GDP ratio?
South Korea's debt-to-GDP ratio is 52%. This is within a range generally considered fiscally sustainable.
Why is South Korea's government debt at this level?
South Korea historically ran low public debt, but an aging population and rising social-spending demands have pushed the ratio gradually higher. It remains well within sustainable territory for an advanced economy.
Compare South Korea vs another country
Live side-by-side debt comparisons — shareable cards for journalists and social.
Further reading
Other Asia-Pacific countries
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Data & Citation
Source: IMF World Economic Outlook · World Bank International Debt Statistics · baseline anchored .
Methodology: debt = 978,367,007,599 + 2310 × seconds_since(2026-01-01)
Machine-readable data: /api/debt?c=kr (live JSON) · /data/debt.json (full dataset)
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