Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 12 of 18 · Country Index 2026
South Korea: Mobility & Trade
How connected is a country to the rest of the world?
South Korea is placed 8th of 177 countries on mobility & trade in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Liner Shipping Connectivity Index 631.3 (2025); Container Import Dwell Time 4.1 (2024).
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Mobility & Trade
8th
of 177 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place South Korea on mobility & trade — 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.
Key 1 of 4
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
631.3
LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)
Higher is better
Ranked 2nd of 177 by UNCTAD
South Korea: 631.3. Across the 168 countries in this edition, values run from 4.13 (Turks and Caicos Islands) to 1,313 (China); the world median is 60.84.
- World median
- 60.84
- Best in Eastern Asia
- 1,313 China
4.1
Median days a full import container waits in port
Lower is better
South Korea: 4.1. Across the 156 countries in this edition, values run from 1 (Gibraltar) to 21.6 (Haiti); the world median is 4.4.
- World median
- 4.4
- Best in Eastern Asia
- 1.4 Macau
3.8
LPI score (1–5)
Higher is better
Ranked 17th of 139 by World Bank Group
South Korea: 3.8. Across the 139 countries in this edition, values run from 1.9 (Afghanistan) to 4.3 (Singapore); the world median is 2.9.
- World median
- 2.9
- Best in Eastern Asia
- 4 Hong Kong
Key 4 of 4
ICT Goods Exports
UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
28.33
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports)
Higher is better
South Korea: 28.33. Across the 120 countries in this edition, values run from 0 (Gambia) to 61.45 (Hong Kong); the world median is 0.975.
- World median
- 0.975
- Best in Eastern Asia
- 61.45 Hong Kong
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.
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index
LSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100) · higher is better
South KoreaWorld median
South Korea rose from 438.42 in 2006 to 637.15 in 2026; the world median went from 52.25 to 56.21.
Every year’s figures
Year South Korea World median 2026 637.2 56.21 2025 631.3 60.84 2024 639.9 55.22 2023 640.8 54.78 2022 596.7 51.49 2021 583.1 52.64 2020 555.8 47.86 2019 559.3 51.05 2018 553.3 52.03 2017 543.3 49.87 2016 526.6 48.09 2015 529.4 49.13 2014 508.9 48.08 2013 520.5 51.32 2012 527.6 47.44 2011 519.9 50.26 2010 509.8 50.51 2009 457.1 53.04 2008 458.1 51.68 2007 465.2 55.78 2006 438.4 52.25 Logistics Performance Index
LPI score (1–5) · higher is better
South KoreaWorld median
South Korea rose from 3.52 in 2007 to 3.8 in 2023; the world median went from 2.529 to 2.9.
Every year’s figures
Year South Korea World median 2023 3.80 2.900 2018 3.61 2.706 2016 3.72 2.734 2014 3.67 2.753 2012 3.70 2.773 2010 3.64 2.746 2007 3.52 2.529 ICT Goods Exports
ICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) · higher is better
South KoreaWorld median
South Korea fell from 34.38 in 2000 to 28.33 in 2024; the world median went from 0.43 to 0.975.
Every year’s figures
Year South Korea World median 2024 28.3 0.975000 2023 22.8 0.690000 2022 27.7 0.565000 2021 28.7 0.550000 2020 28.2 0.680000 2019 25.1 0.625000 2018 27.1 0.480000 2017 23.9 0.630000 2016 21.4 0.865000 2015 21.0 0.790000 2014 19.2 0.760000 2013 18.5 0.645000 2012 16.4 0.630000 2011 17.3 0.535000 2010 20.6 0.560000 2009 21.5 0.780000 2008 21.2 0.595000 2007 25.3 0.660000 2006 26.3 0.445000 2005 29.9 0.570000 2004 33.2 0.535000 2003 33.6 0.530000 2002 32.8 0.510000 2001 29.7 0.490000 2000 34.4 0.430000
03In context
South Korea beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 177 countries on mobility & trade, never a place within the region.
South Korea and the countries it borders
Standing among all 177; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Liner Shipping Connectivity IndexLSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100) | Container Import Dwell TimeMedian days a full import container waits in port | Logistics Performance IndexLPI score (1–5) | ICT Goods ExportsICT goods exports (% of total goods exports) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | 8th | 631.3 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 28.33 |
 North Koreacompare | not placed | — | — | — | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Eastern Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 177.
Placed either side on mobility & trade
The countries immediately above and below South Korea in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where South Korea is ahead of the world, and behind
28 more statistics filed under mobility & trade, 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 median4
Statistics on which South Korea does better than the middle country measured.
Digitally-Deliverable Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 25.4250.6625.42▲ Improved since 2014
South Korea: 50.66 · world median 25.42 · Digitally-deliverable services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.377 to 87.15; higher is better.
Position 32nd of 170 · 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.
Freedom of Foreign MovementV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 1.21.5161.2▲ Improved since 2015
South Korea: 1.516 · world median 1.2 · Original latent estimate (≈ −3.6 to +2.9); higher = freer movement. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -3.642 to 2.727; higher is better.
Position 72nd of 176 · 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.
Behind the world median3
Statistics on which South Korea does worse than the middle country measured.
Inbound Mobility Rate, TertiaryUIS · 2024 · world median 5.4945.2735.494▲ Improved since 2014
South Korea: 5.273 · world median 5.494 · Inbound mobility rate, tertiary (%). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 87.12; higher is better.
Position 39th of 75 · derived.
FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness IndexOECD · 2024 · world median 0.0790.1050.079▼ Worsened since 2018
South Korea: 0.105 · world median 0.079 · FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index (0 = open, 1 = closed). OECD, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 0.567; lower is better.
Position 44th of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
Average Time to Clear Exports Through CustomsWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 4.45615.444.456No earlier reading
South Korea: 15.44 · world median 4.456 · Average time to clear exports through customs (days). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 27.46; lower is better.
Position 12th of 174 · derived, 1st = worst.
No better end21
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Merchant Fleet by Country of OwnershipUNCTAD · 2026 · world median 275.7399,203275.73No real change since 2016
South Korea: 99,203 · world median 275.73 · Merchant fleet owned (thousand dead-weight tons). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 397,071.
Container Port TrafficUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1,827,78831,850,9241,827,788No real change since 2014
South Korea: 31,850,924 · world median 1,827,788 · Container port traffic (TEU, twenty-foot equivalent units). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 17,263 to 299,703,800.
Position 4th of 103 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Asylum-Seekers by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 1,83639,1061,836Moved since 2015
South Korea: 39,106 · world median 1,836 · Asylum-seekers awaiting a decision, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 3,718,945.
EmigrantsUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 444,4512,030,473444,451Moved since 2015
South Korea: 2,030,473 · world median 444,451 · Migrants from the country living abroad, mid-year (people). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 313 to 18,533,845.
International MigrantsUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 223,3231,811,507223,323No real change since 2015
South Korea: 1,811,507 · world median 223,323 · International migrants living in the country, mid-year (people). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 246 to 52,375,047.
Creative Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 6.17115.596.171Moved since 2014
South Korea: 15.59 · world median 6.171 · Creative services exports (% of services exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.002 to 63.91.
Foreign Value Added Share of Gross ExportsOECD · 2022 · world median 27.4136.6527.41Moved since 2012
South Korea: 36.65 · world median 27.41 · Foreign value added (% of gross exports). OECD, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 4.491 to 66.08.
Cereal Import Dependency RatioFAO · 2022 · world median 42.878.542.8Moved since 2012
South Korea: 78.5 · world median 42.8 · Share of the cereal supply that is imported (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from -1,894 to 100.
Creative Goods ExportsUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 1.2352.3671.235Moved since 2014
South Korea: 2.367 · world median 1.235 · Creative goods exports (% of merchandise exports). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 37.23.
Net Migration RateUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median -0.1331.697-0.133Moved since 2013
South Korea: 1.697 · world median -0.133 · Net migrants per 1,000 population. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from -61.68 to 39.62.
Exports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 36.3445.7636.34Moved since 2015
South Korea: 45.76 · world median 36.34 · Exports of goods and services (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.103 to 199.76.
Position 46th of 138 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Tariff Rate, Applied, Weighted Mean, All ProductsWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 3.665.663.66Moved since 2012
South Korea: 5.66 · world median 3.66 · Applied tariff rate, trade-weighted mean (%). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 29.52.
Trade (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 79.6886.3679.68Moved since 2015
South Korea: 86.36 · world median 79.68 · Exports plus imports (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.382 to 396.65.
Position 63rd of 138 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Imports of Goods and Services (% of GDP)World Bank Group · 2025 · world median 41.7240.641.72Moved since 2015
South Korea: 40.6 · world median 41.72 · Imports of goods and services (% of GDP). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.279 to 196.89.
Position 72nd of 138 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Services ExportsUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 9.6028.0199.602Moved since 2015
South Korea: 8.019 · world median 9.602 · Services exports (% of GDP). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.085 to 166.21.
Refugee Population by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 12,2694,40712,269Moved since 2015
South Korea: 4,407 · world median 12,269 · Refugees under UNHCR's mandate hosted, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 2,655,191.
International Migrants as a Share of PopulationUN DESA Population Division · 2024 · world median 6.0893.5036.089No real change since 2015
South Korea: 3.503 · world median 6.089 · International migrants (% of population). UN DESA Population Division, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.02 to 100.
Export Concentration IndexUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 0.3060.2190.306Moved since 2015
South Korea: 0.219 · world median 0.306 · Export concentration index (0–1, normalised Herfindahl–Hirschman). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.059 to 0.933.
Outbound Mobility Ratio, TertiaryUIS · 2023 · world median 5.2793.2475.279Moved since 2013
South Korea: 3.247 · world median 5.279 · Outbound mobility ratio, tertiary (% of tertiary enrolment at home). UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.333 to 1,724.
Terms of Trade IndexUNCTAD · 2025 · world median 103.2390.7103.23Moved since 2015
South Korea: 90.7 · world median 103.23 · Terms of trade index (2015 = 100). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 38.2 to 1,448.
Commodity Export DependenceUNCTAD · 2024 · world median 67.1713.8567.17No real change since 2014
South Korea: 13.85 · world median 67.17 · Commodity exports (% of merchandise exports, three-year average). UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 4.605 to 99.77.
No current reading for South Korea
Cost of Sending Remittances. 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
Mobility & Trade among South Korea’s 15 topics
Mobility & Trade is South Korea’s 5th 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 mobility & trade
The three countries placed highest of 177, and the leaders South Korea can most readily be measured against.
1
SingaporeSouth-eastern Asia
1st of 177 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Khairul Nizam . · CC BY 2.0, greyscale
2
MacauEastern Asia
2nd of 177 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
Hong KongEastern Asia
3rd of 177 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
Singapore1st4/4 keysHighest in Eastern Asia
Macau2nd2/4 keysThis page
South Korea8th4/4 keys
Positions out of 177 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.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about South Korea and mobility & trade
On mobility & trade
China Leads Global High-Technology Exports
The world’s ten largest high-technology exporters as a treemap, with the rest of the world beside them. Each country’s figure is its own most recent year, between 2022 and 2024.
On mobility & trade
The World’s Safest Airlines for 2025
The eleven safest airlines of 2025, each beside the country it is based in, and the nine things the grading looks at. Three airlines share third place, and the publisher gives an order but no score.
On mobility & trade
The world’s most powerful passports for 2025
Sixteen passports, their mobility scores, and the visa-free, visa-on-arrival and visa-required split behind each. Fourteen share third place while differing in how they reach it.
08Questions
South Korea on mobility & trade: 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 mobility & trade?
South Korea is placed 8th of 177 countries on Mobility & Trade in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Liner Shipping Connectivity Index, Container Import Dwell Time, Logistics Performance Index and ICT Goods Exports). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Liner Shipping Connectivity Index figure for South Korea?
631.3 in 2025 (lSCI (index, average Q1 2023 = 100)), according to UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The world median in the same edition was 60.84.
What is the latest Container Import Dwell Time figure for South Korea?
4.1 in 2024 (median days a full import container waits in port), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was 4.4.
How have South Korea’s mobility & trade figures changed?
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index rose from 438.42 in 2006 to 637.15 in 2026; Logistics Performance Index rose from 3.52 in 2007 to 3.8 in 2023; ICT Goods Exports fell from 34.38 in 2000 to 28.33 in 2024.
Which mobility & trade statistics are missing for South Korea?
No current reading is published for South Korea on Cost of Sending Remittances. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Passport strength and freedom of movement for people are not measured with a key, because the data behind passport rankings is not licensed for reuse here. Trade as a share of the economy, remittance costs and student mobility are published here as context.
How the Mobility & Trade 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 mobility & trade method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Liner Shipping Connectivity Index — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Container Import Dwell Time — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- Logistics Performance Index — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
- ICT Goods Exports — UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), CC BY 3.0 IGO
The other 28 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
- Singapore — Khairul Nizam ., CC BY 2.0
- Macau — Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hong Kong — Base64 and Derivative work by Globe-trotter, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). South Korea: Mobility & Trade — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/south-korea/mobility