South Korea Industrial Production
Year-on-year change in the volume of industrial output (mining, manufacturing, utilities).
Industrial Production in South Korea decreased to -0.85 percent in Aug 2026 from 5.89 percent in Jul 2026.
South Korea Industrial Production — History
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South Korea Industrial Production — analysis in simple words
Latest reading
Industrial Production in South Korea decreased to -0.85 percent in Aug 2026 from 5.89 percent in Jul 2026.
Over the last three months it rose twice and fell once.
Recent trend
A year earlier (Aug 2025) it was 3.6%, so the latest figure is 4.5 percentage points lower.
Over the past five years the average was 2.0%, with a range from -12.4% to 9.3%. The latest value is below that five-year average.
Historical context
This data series starts in Jan 1991 and has 428 monthly observations. The latest reading is higher than 14% of all of them.
The highest value on record is 35.2% (Jul 1999) and the lowest is -21.6% (Jan 2009). The long-run average is 5.4%.
Compared with other countries
Among 39 economies with recent data, South Korea ranks 29th from the top. The median across all these economies is 1.3%, so South Korea is below the typical country.
Among 13 major economies tracked on this site it ranks 11th.
Statistics
- Latest
- -0.9%Aug 2026
- Previous
- 5.9%
- 5-year average
- 2.0%
- Long-run average
- 5.4%since Jan 1991
- All-time high
- 35.2%Jul 1999
- All-time low
- -21.6%Jan 2009
- Observations
- 428Monthly
Recent Data
| Period | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | -0.9% | ▼ −6.7 pp |
| Jul 2026 | 5.9% | ▲ +1.3 pp |
| Jun 2026 | 4.6% | ▲ +4.0 pp |
| May 2026 | 0.5% | ▼ −0.9 pp |
| Apr 2026 | 1.4% | ▼ −0.8 pp |
| Mar 2026 | 2.2% | ▼ −1.6 pp |
| Feb 2026 | 3.8% | ▲ +4.9 pp |
| Jan 2026 | -1.1% | ▼ −0.7 pp |
| Dec 2025 | -0.3% | ▼ −1.9 pp |
| Nov 2025 | 1.5% | ▲ +3.7 pp |
| Oct 2025 | -2.2% | ▼ −6.8 pp |
| Sep 2025 | 4.6% | ▲ +1.0 pp |
| Aug 2025 | 3.6% | ▼ −3.7 pp |
| Jul 2025 | 7.3% | ▲ +2.2 pp |
| Jun 2025 | 5.1% | ▲ +3.9 pp |
| May 2025 | 1.3% | ▼ −2.8 pp |
| Apr 2025 | 4.0% | ▼ −3.3 pp |
| Mar 2025 | 7.3% | ▲ +5.5 pp |
| Feb 2025 | 1.8% | ▼ −2.1 pp |
| Jan 2025 | 3.9% | ▼ −0.9 pp |
| Dec 2024 | 4.7% | ▲ +5.0 pp |
| Nov 2024 | -0.3% | ▼ −4.7 pp |
| Oct 2024 | 4.4% | ▲ +2.9 pp |
| Sep 2024 | 1.5% | ▼ −3.0 pp |
| Aug 2024 | 4.5% | ▲ +1.2 pp |
| Jul 2024 | 3.4% | ▼ −1.2 pp |
| Jun 2024 | 4.5% | ▲ +1.5 pp |
| May 2024 | 3.0% | ▼ −3.7 pp |
| Apr 2024 | 6.7% | ▲ +4.8 pp |
| Mar 2024 | 1.9% |
Industrial Production — South Korea vs Peers
Latest available reading for each economy (periods may differ). South Korea highlighted.
More South Korea indicators
Understanding Industrial Production — a simple guide
What it measures
The year-on-year change in the volume of output from factories, mines and utilities (electricity, gas, water).
How it is calculated
Industrial production index (volume, seasonally adjusted) this month ÷ the same month last year − 1, × 100.
If the index is 155.7 now and was 150.0 a year ago, industrial production grew 3.8%.
Rising output signals strong demand for goods.
Falling output often signals weakening demand or supply problems.
Why it matters for the economy and markets
Industrial production is one of the earliest monthly signals of how the economy is doing and moves closely with the business cycle.
How to read it
It can swing sharply from month to month; look at the trend over several months. Negative readings for several months often accompany a slowdown in manufacturing.
What to look at alongside it
Business confidence, GDP growth and exports.
Key terms
- IIP
- Index of Industrial Production — India’s name for this measure.
- Volume index
- An index that tracks quantities produced, not prices.
Data source
OECD — Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (series OECD industrial production (B-E)), monthly data from Jan 1991 to Aug 2026. Values are shown exactly as published by the source and may be revised later.
How to use the chart
Use the 5Y / 10Y / 25Y / Max buttons to change the time range, or drag the slider under the chart. Hover (or tap) on the line to see the exact value for any period. Dashed lines and hatched bars are IMF projections, not actual data. The “Download CSV” button gives you the full data series.
Frequently asked questions
What is the current industrial production of South Korea?
What is the highest and lowest industrial production of South Korea?
What does industrial production measure?
Data are sourced from official international organisations (IMF, World Bank, BIS) and national authorities, and are shown for educational and informational purposes only. They are not investment advice and no recommendation is made. Figures may be revised by the source; IMF figures for the current and future years are projections. This page was last updated on Saturday, October 17, 2026.