South Korea Private Debt to GDP
Credit to the private non-financial sector (households and companies) as a percentage of GDP.
Private Debt to GDP in South Korea decreased to 191.50 percent of GDP in Q1 2026 from 198.00 percent of GDP in Q4 2025.
South Korea Private Debt to GDP — History
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South Korea Private Debt to GDP — analysis in simple words
Latest reading
Private Debt to GDP in South Korea decreased to 191.50 percent of GDP in Q1 2026 from 198.00 percent of GDP in Q4 2025.
It has fallen in each of the last three quarters.
Recent trend
A year earlier (Q1 2025) it was 200.0%, so the latest figure is 8.5 percentage points lower.
Over the past five years the average was 203.3%, with a range from 191.5% to 208.8%. The latest value is below that five-year average.
Historical context
This data series starts in Q4 1962 and has 254 quarterly observations. The latest reading is higher than 91% of all of them.
The highest value on record is 208.8% (Q3 2023) and the lowest is 19.5% (Q4 1964). The long-run average is 116.9%.
Compared with other countries
Among 43 economies with recent data, South Korea ranks 11th from the top. The median across all these economies is 130.3%, so South Korea is above the typical country.
Among 19 major economies tracked on this site it ranks 5th.
Within East Asia & Pacific (10 economies with data) it ranks 3rd; the regional median is 170.8%.
Statistics
- Latest
- 191.5%Q1 2026
- Previous
- 198.0%
- 5-year average
- 203.3%
- Long-run average
- 116.9%since Q4 1962
- All-time high
- 208.8%Q3 2023
- All-time low
- 19.5%Q4 1964
- Observations
- 254Quarterly
Recent Data
| Period | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 2026 | 191.5% | ▼ −6.5 pp |
| Q4 2025 | 198.0% | ▼ −1.4 pp |
| Q3 2025 | 199.4% | ▼ −0.3 pp |
| Q2 2025 | 199.7% | ▼ −0.3 pp |
| Q1 2025 | 200.0% | ▲ +0.2 pp |
| Q4 2024 | 199.8% | ▼ −0.9 pp |
| Q3 2024 | 200.7% | ▼ −0.9 pp |
| Q2 2024 | 201.6% | ▼ −1.7 pp |
| Q1 2024 | 203.3% | ▼ −2.7 pp |
| Q4 2023 | 206.0% | ▼ −2.8 pp |
| Q3 2023 | 208.8% | ▲ +0.4 pp |
| Q2 2023 | 208.4% | ▲ +0.2 pp |
| Q1 2023 | 208.2% | ▼ −0.4 pp |
| Q4 2022 | 208.6% | ▲ +0.8 pp |
| Q3 2022 | 207.8% | ▲ +2.0 pp |
| Q2 2022 | 205.8% | ▲ +1.3 pp |
| Q1 2022 | 204.5% | ▼ −0.9 pp |
| Q4 2021 | 205.4% | ▲ +0.2 pp |
| Q3 2021 | 205.2% | ▲ +1.3 pp |
| Q2 2021 | 203.9% | ▲ +1.2 pp |
| Q1 2021 | 202.7% | ▲ +2.1 pp |
| Q4 2020 | 200.6% | ▲ +2.5 pp |
| Q3 2020 | 198.1% | ▲ +4.1 pp |
| Q2 2020 | 194.0% | ▲ +5.4 pp |
| Q1 2020 | 188.6% | ▲ +3.5 pp |
| Q4 2019 | 185.1% | ▲ +2.0 pp |
| Q3 2019 | 183.1% | ▲ +2.2 pp |
| Q2 2019 | 180.9% | ▲ +2.5 pp |
| Q1 2019 | 178.4% | ▲ +1.2 pp |
| Q4 2018 | 177.2% |
Private Debt to GDP — South Korea vs Peers
Latest available reading for each economy (periods may differ). South Korea highlighted.
More South Korea indicators
Understanding Private Debt to GDP — a simple guide
What it measures
Credit to the private non-financial sector — households and non-financial companies — as a percentage of GDP (BIS).
How it is calculated
Loans and debt securities owed by households and non-financial companies ÷ GDP × 100 (BIS).
A ratio of 90% means private borrowers owe almost one year of national output.
High or fast-rising private debt can increase financial stability risks.
Low private debt can mean room for credit growth, or limited access to finance.
Why it matters for the economy and markets
Private leverage affects financial stability; rapid credit booms have historically preceded banking stress.
How to read it
The BIS “credit-to-GDP gap” approach looks at how far the ratio is above its long-run trend rather than the level alone.
Data source
Bank for International Settlements (BIS) (series WS_TC/P.A.M.770.A), quarterly data from Q4 1962 to Q1 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 private debt to gdp of South Korea?
What is the highest and lowest private debt to gdp of South Korea?
What does private debt to gdp 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.