Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 17 of 18 · Country Index 2026
South Korea: Digital & Technology
How ready is a country to use, make and trade technology?
South Korea is placed joint 1st of 198 countries on digital & technology in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: GovTech Maturity Index 0.997 (2025); Government AI Readiness Index 76.89 (2025).
Share
Digital & Technology
joint1st
of 198 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 0.997GovTech Maturity Index, 2025GTMI score (0–1)
- 76.89Government AI Readiness Index, 2025AI readiness score (0–100)
- 2.231Government Cyber Security Capacity, 2025Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity
- 50.66Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports, 2024Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place South Korea on digital & technology — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
0.997
GTMI score (0–1)
Higher is better
South Korea: 0.997. Across the 196 countries in this edition, values run from 0.01 (North Korea) to 0.997 (South Korea); the world median is 0.63.
- World median
- 0.63
- Best in Eastern Asia
- 0.997 South Korea
- Land neighbours
- North Korea 0.01
76.89
AI readiness score (0–100)
Higher is better
Ranked 5th of 195 by Oxford Insights
South Korea: 76.89. Across the 195 countries in this edition, values run from 12.12 (Guinea-Bissau) to 88.36 (United States); the world median is 40.19.
- World median
- 40.19
- Best in Eastern Asia
- 76.89 South Korea
- Land neighbours
- North Korea 21.15
Key 3 of 4
Government Cyber Security Capacity
V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0
2.231
Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity
Higher is better
South Korea: 2.231. Across the 176 countries in this edition, values run from -2.66 (Liberia) to 3.715 (Estonia); the world median is 0.196.
- World median
- 0.196
- Best in Eastern Asia
- 3.226 China
- Land neighbours
- North Korea 2.771
Key 4 of 4
Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
50.66
Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports)
Higher is better
South Korea: 50.66. Across the 170 countries in this edition, values run from 0.377 (Gambia) to 87.15 (Ireland); the world median is 25.42.
- World median
- 25.42
- Best in Eastern Asia
- 52.9 Japan
02Over time
Which way South Korea is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Government AI Readiness Index
AI readiness score (0–100) · higher is better
South KoreaWorld median
South Korea fell from 77.69 in 2020 to 76.89 in 2025; the world median went from 39.58 to 40.19.
Every year’s figures
Year South Korea World median 2025 76.9 40.2 2024 80.0 43.3 2023 75.6 41.4 2022 76.8 40.3 2021 76.5 44.1 2020 77.7 39.6 Government Cyber Security Capacity
Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity · higher is better
South KoreaWorld median
South Korea rose from 1.945 in 2000 to 2.231 in 2025; the world median went from -0.514 to 0.196.
Every year’s figures
Year South Korea World median 2025 2.2 0.20 2024 2.2 0.11 2023 2.2 0.14 2022 2.2 0.16 2021 2.2 0.12 2020 2.2 0.12 2019 2.2 0.10 2018 1.9 -0.05 2017 1.9 -0.08 2016 1.9 -0.10 2015 1.9 -0.17 2014 1.9 -0.21 2013 1.9 -0.21 2012 1.9 -0.25 2011 1.9 -0.32 2010 1.9 -0.31 2009 1.9 -0.50 2008 1.9 -0.51 2007 1.9 -0.51 2006 1.9 -0.55 2005 1.9 -0.55 2004 1.9 -0.55 2003 1.9 -0.55 2002 1.9 -0.51 2001 1.9 -0.51 2000 1.9 -0.51 Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports
Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports) · higher is better
South KoreaWorld median
South Korea rose from 20.96 in 2010 to 50.66 in 2024; the world median went from 19.88 to 25.42.
Every year’s figures
Year South Korea World median 2024 50.7 25.42 2023 51.9 26.03 2022 44.4 26.04 2021 46.6 29.80 2020 48.5 29.47 2019 40.4 18.36 2018 37.5 20.09 2017 40.7 18.32 2016 36.0 18.15 2015 31.9 19.57 2014 28.2 21.00 2013 25.2 20.50 2012 23.1 19.56 2011 23.5 19.21 2010 21.0 19.88
03In context
South Korea beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 198 countries on digital & technology, never a place within the region.
South Korea and the countries it borders
Standing among all 198; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | GovTech Maturity IndexGTMI score (0–1) | Government AI Readiness IndexAI readiness score (0–100) | Government Cyber Security CapacityOriginal latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.7); higher = more capacity | Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsDigitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | =1st | 0.997 | 76.89 | 2.231 | 50.66 |
 North Koreacompare | 119th | 0.01 | 21.15 | 2.771 | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Eastern Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 198.
Placed either side on digital & technology
The countries immediately above and below South Korea in the topic’s list.
Estonia=1st- South Korea=1st
Singapore3rd
Brazil4th
India5th
04Context, no vote
Where South Korea is ahead of the world, and behind
20 more statistics filed under digital & technology, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median14
Statistics on which South Korea does better than the middle country measured.
Government Internet ShutdownsV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 1.0231.9791.023No real change since 2015
South Korea: 1.979 · world median 1.023 · Original latent estimate (≈ −4 to +2); higher = fewer shutdowns. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.547 to 2.081; higher is better.
Position 3rd of 176 · derived.
ICT Goods ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 0.97528.330.975No real change since 2014
South Korea: 28.33 · world median 0.975 · ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 61.45; higher is better.
Position 5th of 119 · derived.
Frontier Technology Readiness IndexUNCTAD · 2023 · world median 0.4850.9260.485No real change since 2013
South Korea: 0.926 · world median 0.485 · Frontier Technology Readiness Index (0–1). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1; higher is better.
Position 7th of 170 · derived.
Firms Experiencing Internet DisruptionsWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 32.356.11232.35No earlier reading
South Korea: 6.112 · world median 32.35 · Firms that experienced internet outages or slow-downs (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0.735 to 82.39; lower is better.
Position 152nd of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
AI User Share of the Working-Age PopulationMicrosoft AI Economy Institute · 2026 · world median 15.4540.615.45▲ Improved since 2025
South Korea: 40.6 · world median 15.45 · Generative-AI users (% of population aged 15–64). Microsoft AI Economy Institute, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 6.1 to 73.3; higher is better.
Smartphone OwnershipWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 78.7889.8478.78No earlier reading
South Korea: 89.84 · world median 78.78 · Adults whose main mobile phone is a smartphone (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 8.663 to 97.36; higher is better.
Position 19th of 140 · derived.
Government Social Media CensorshipV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.5051.6510.505▲ Improved since 2015
South Korea: 1.651 · world median 0.505 · Original latent estimate (≈ −4.5 to +2.4); higher = less censorship. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.721 to 2.295; higher is better.
Position 36th of 176 · derived.
Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness IndexOECD · 2025 · world median 0.2060.0830.206▲ Improved since 2015
South Korea: 0.083 · world median 0.206 · Digital STRI (0 = open, 1 = closed). OECD, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.021 to 0.649; lower is better.
Position 101st of 125 · derived, 1st = worst.
Mobile Phone OwnershipWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 91.6896.0591.68No earlier reading
South Korea: 96.05 · world median 91.68 · Adults who own a mobile phone (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 45.83 to 100; higher is better.
Position 30th of 140 · derived.
Government Dissemination of False Information (Domestic)V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median -0.1141.132-0.114▲ Improved since 2015
South Korea: 1.132 · world median -0.114 · Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +3.2); higher = less disinformation. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.392 to 2.93; higher is better.
Position 38th of 176 · derived.
Primary Schools with Internet for TeachingUIS · 2024 · world median 98.6610098.66No real change since 2016
South Korea: 100 · world median 98.66 · Primary schools with internet access for teaching (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Internet Use Among AdultsWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 83.0586.5783.05No earlier reading
South Korea: 86.57 · world median 83.05 · Adults who used the internet in the past three months (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 11.06 to 99.12; higher is better.
Position 58th of 140 · derived.
ICT Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 7.4748.8237.474▲ Improved since 2014
South Korea: 8.823 · world median 7.474 · ICT services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 56.25; higher is better.
Position 51st of 118 · derived.
Share of Firms' Payments Made ElectronicallyWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 64.2267.7864.22No earlier reading
South Korea: 67.78 · world median 64.22 · Payments made electronically in a typical month, excluding payroll and payments to government (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 2.172 to 99.91; higher is better.
Behind the world median1
Statistics on which South Korea does worse than the middle country measured.
Firms with Their Own WebsiteWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 62.3932.262.39No earlier reading
South Korea: 32.2 · world median 62.39 · Firms with their own website (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 1.824 to 97.88; higher is better.
Position 153rd of 181 · derived.
No better end5
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
GitHub Git PushesGitHub · 2025 · world median 148,7147,204,133148,714Moved since 2020
South Korea: 7,204,133 · world median 148,714 · Git pushes during the quarter. GitHub, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1,967 to 40,768,192.
GitHub DevelopersGitHub · 2026 · world median 84,6703,145,73084,670No real change since 2020
South Korea: 3,145,730 · world median 84,670 · Developer accounts located in the economy (as of quarter end). GitHub, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 110 to 32,410,529.
GitHub RepositoriesGitHub · 2026 · world median 141,4548,226,645141,454No real change since 2020
South Korea: 8,226,645 · world median 141,454 · Public repositories located in the economy (as of quarter end). GitHub, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 142 to 77,284,974.
Anthropic AI Usage IndexAnthropic · 2026 · world median 0.963.780.96No earlier reading
South Korea: 3.78 · world median 0.96 · Claude usage index (1 = in proportion to working-age population). Anthropic, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0.07 to 6.4.
Share of Graduates from ICT ProgrammesUIS · 2023 · world median 5.6015.1815.601Moved since 2015
South Korea: 5.181 · world median 5.601 · Tertiary graduates from ICT programmes (% of all graduates). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 17.19.
No current reading for South Korea
Made or Received a Digital Payment (last 2021). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Digital & Technology among South Korea’s 15 topics
Digital & Technology is South Korea’s best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Digital & Technologyjoint 1st of 1984/4 keys
- Work & Labour3rd of 1824/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing5th of 2004/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge8th of 1983/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade8th of 1774/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation15th of 1764/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 19th of 1944/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital24th of 1963/3 keys
- Gender & Equality24th of 1834/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture32nd of 1843/4 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 35th of 1934/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality29th of 1593/3 keys
- Democracy & Civil Libertiesjoint 38th of 1984/4 keys
- Peace & Security63rd of 1774/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability170th of 1864/4 keys
No standing on Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on digital & technology
The three countries placed highest of 198, and the leaders South Korea can most readily be measured against.
=1EstoniaNorthern Europe
Joint 1st of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Andrus Uuetalu derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0 ee, greyscale
- =1South Korea
Eastern Asia
Joint 1st of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
3SingaporeSouth-eastern Asia
3rd of 198 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
South Korea=1st4/4 keys
Positions out of 198 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
South Korea on digital & technology: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does South Korea rank on digital & technology?
South Korea is placed joint 1st of 198 countries on Digital & Technology in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (GovTech Maturity Index, Government AI Readiness Index, Government Cyber Security Capacity and Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest GovTech Maturity Index figure for South Korea?
0.997 in 2025 (gTMI score (0–1)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 0.63.
What is the latest Government AI Readiness Index figure for South Korea?
76.89 in 2025 (aI readiness score (0–100)), according to Oxford Insights. The world median in the same edition was 40.19.
How does South Korea compare with North Korea on digital & technology?
North Korea is placed 119th of 198, and South Korea joint 1st. GovTech Maturity Index: North Korea 0.01, South Korea 0.997; Government AI Readiness Index: North Korea 21.15, South Korea 76.89; Government Cyber Security Capacity: North Korea 2.771, South Korea 2.231.
How have South Korea’s digital & technology figures changed?
Government AI Readiness Index fell from 77.69 in 2020 to 76.89 in 2025; Government Cyber Security Capacity rose from 1.945 in 2000 to 2.231 in 2025; Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports rose from 20.96 in 2010 to 50.66 in 2024.
Which digital & technology statistics are missing for South Korea?
No current reading is published for South Korea on Made or Received a Digital Payment. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Broadband and mobile subscriptions, connection speeds and the cost of getting online are absent, for the licence reason above; internet use and phone ownership, from the World Bank’s own household survey, and firms’ websites and internet disruptions, from its Enterprise Surveys, are published here as context. The ICT share of goods exports votes under Mobility & Trade. Digital public services and data-protection law are not held yet. Research and development spending is filed under Education & Knowledge, and what an economy knows how to make is under Economy & Innovation.
How the Digital & Technology standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The digital & technology method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- GovTech Maturity Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Government AI Readiness Index — Oxford Insights, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Government Cyber Security Capacity — V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Digitally-Deliverable Services Exports — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
The other 20 statistics on this page come from 8 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
South Korea’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- South Korea (banner) — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Estonia — Andrus Uuetalu derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0 ee
- Singapore — Khairul Nizam ., CC BY 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). South Korea: Digital & Technology — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/south-korea/digital