Argentina and South Korea Economies: A Side-by-Side Table Comparison

In comparing Argentina and South Korea, we see notable differences: South Korea’s population is slightly larger, but Argentina is vastly bigger in land area. Economically, South Korea outpaces Argentina with a much higher GDP and exports, while Argentina faces greater income inequality and lower military spending.

Basic Indicators

Indicator	Argentina	South Korea	Comparison
Population source (2022 data), updated 2024	46.23 million (32nd)	51.63 million (28th)	South Korea’s population is approximately 1.1 times larger than Argentina’s.
Surface area (sq. km) source (2022 data), updated 2024	2.78 million sq. km (8th)	0.10 million sq. km (103rd)	Argentina is 27.8 times larger than South Korea.
GDP source (2022 data), updated 2024	631.13B USD (22nd)	1,673.92B USD (13th)	South Korea’s total GDP is approximately 2.65 times larger than Argentina’s.
GDP per capita source (2022 data), updated 2024	$13,651 (64th)	32,423 USD (35th)	Argentina’s GDP per capita is roughly 58% lower than South Korea’s, with Argentinians producing about $18,772 less per person annually.

Economic Indexes

Index	Argentina	South Korea	Comparison
HDI (Human Development Index) source (2022 data), updated 2024	0.849 (48th)	0.929 (19th)	Argentina’s HDI is 0.849 (high), while South Korea’s is 0.929 (very high). South Korea’s score is 0.080 higher, indicating significantly better human development overall.
Index of Economic Freedom source (2024 data)	49.9 (132nd)	73.1 (13th)	Argentina’s Index of Economic Freedom is 31.6% lower than South Korea’s, 23.2 points less.
GINI source (2022 data), updated 2024	42 (2021 est.)	31.4 (2016 est.)	With a 33% higher Gini coefficient, Argentina has a higher degree of income inequality than South Korea.

International trade _{source(2023 data), updated 2024}

Indicator	Argentina	South Korea
Total imports	92.57B USD	761.10B
Imports % of GDP	15.35%	48.26%
Main import partners	China 21%, Brazil 20%, US 14%, Germany 3%, Paraguay 2%	China 23%, US 11%, Japan 8%, Australia 6%, Saudi Arabia 5%
Main import items	refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, natural gas, fertilizers, cars	crude petroleum, integrated circuits, natural gas, coal, refined petroleum
Total exports	83.36B USD	769.53B
Exports % of GDP	16.30%	48.27%
Main export Partners	Brazil 15%, China 9%, US 8%, Chile 6%, India 5%	China 21%, US 16%, Vietnam 9%, Japan 4%, Hong Kong 4%
Main export items	soybean meal, corn, soybean oil, wheat, trucks	integrated circuits, refined petroleum, cars, broadcasting equipment, ships

Argentina’s imports are just 12% of South Korea’s, and Argentina imports 33% less of its GDP compared to South Korea. Argentina’s exports are just 10% of South Korea’s, focusing on basic goods like soybeans, while South Korea excels in high-tech products.

Military Power _{source (2023 data), updated 2024}

Indicator	Argentina	South Korea
Military expenditure	3.1B USD	47.9B USD
Military expenditure (% of GDP)	0.41%	2.72%
Active military	72k	500k
Active military per 1,000 capita	2.3	127.3

South Korea’s military expenditure is approximately 15 times larger than Argentina’s at $47.9 billion, and it allocates a significantly higher percentage of its GDP (2.72%) to defense compared to Argentina’s 0.41%.