Agriculture Sector Contribution to GDP in South Korea (1990-2022)

South Korea’s agriculture sector contributed 7.6% to GDP in 1990 but steadily declined to 1.6% by 2022, paralleling the country’s rapid industrialization. As South Korea advanced in technology and manufacturing, agriculture’s relative contribution reduced significantly. By the 2000s, agriculture’s share stabilized below 3%, reflecting increased urbanization and reduced arable land.

The slight rise to 1.9% in 2021 may relate to increased food demand during the pandemic, underscoring agriculture’s ongoing importance for food security, despite its minimal GDP share in South Korea’s highly industrialized economy.