Korea Income Share Top 10%
Income share held by highest 10% SI.DST.10TH.10
Korea's income share top 10% was 24.60% in 2021, ranked 25th globally. This represents a 0.8% decrease from 2020. Data from World Bank, covering 2006–2021.
Overview
Korea's income share top 10% stood at 24.60% in 2021, a decline of +0.20pp from 2020. Korea ranked 25th globally.
South Korea’s share of national income accruing to the top 10 % of earners stood at 24.60 percent in 2021, placing the country 25th in the world and matching the United Kingdom’s 2021 figure while slightly trailing Spain’s 24.70 percent. The indicator has risen modestly since the earliest observation in 2006, when the top‑decile captured 23.60 percent of output, and it peaked at 26.00 percent in 2016 before a brief dip to a trough of 23.20 percent in 2014. Over the 11‑year span covered by the World Bank series, the upward trajectory reflects persistent concentration of earnings at the upper end of the distribution, a pattern echoed in other advanced economies with similar rankings. Structural factors such as high‑skill wage premiums, rapid technological adoption, and limited progress in redistributive policy have reinforced this trend. Continued reforms aimed at broadening skill development and enhancing progressive taxation could moderate the share’s growth and reshape the future distribution of income.
Data & projection
| Year | Income Share Top 10% | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24.60% | −0.20pp | #25 |
| 2020 | 24.80% | +0.10pp | #27 |
| 2019 | 24.70% | −0.10pp | #31 |
| 2018 | 24.80% | −0.80pp | #28 |
| 2017 | 25.60% | −0.40pp | #35 |
| 2016 | 26.00% | +2.80pp | #44 |
| 2014 | 23.20% | −0.20pp | #14 |
| 2012 | 23.40% | −0.40pp | #17 |
| 2010 | 23.80% | −0.20pp | #22 |
| 2008 | 24.00% | +0.40pp | #17 |
| 2006 | 23.60% | – | #15 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Korea matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2006. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw income share top 10% improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Korea's income share top 10% was 24.60% in 2021. Ranked 25th globally. This represents a 0.8% decrease from the previous year.
Korea's income share top 10% peaked at 26.00% in 2016.
The lowest income share top 10% in Korea was 23.20% in 2014.
Korea ranks 25th globally in income share top 10% as of 2021.
The World Bank indicator code is SI.DST.10TH.10. Data sourced from World Bank.
The income share top 10% of Korea in 2021 was 24.60%. This ranks 25th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_korea_income-top-10,
title = {Korea Income Share Top 10%},
url = {https://historysaid.com/korea/income-top-10/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}