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World/Briefs/South Korea

Intelligence brief

South Korea — intelligence brief

The whole picture in one grounded read: observed macro indicators, the derived macro-sentiment composite, the business-cycle regime, and a forward forecast. Derived reads interpret already-observed numbers; the forecast is labelled projections (not observations); an absent series is shown honestly, never fabricated.

How to read this:Observeda real measured value from a named source.Derivedcomputed by Predictonomy from observed series using a reproducible method.AI readan AI interpretation of already-computed figures. Opinion, not a new data point.

Brief

What the data says

Observed macro, derived sentiment, the business-cycle regime, and forward projections — each traced to the live series it reads. Need it as JSON? GET /api/v1/brief/country/{iso3}.

Full briefledger 51018ed

South Korea: macro conditions look supportive (pressure 32/100); the economy is in slowdown; 2 turning-point signals flagged; 21 observed macro indicators held; real gdp growth is projected at 0.87 for 2026.

Macro sentiment

Macro pressure

Derived
Normal
32/ 100

Higher = more macro pressure. Reads as supportive (sentiment +0.36, −1 stressed … +1 supportive).

ⓘ How this score works
Confidence: 90%

Outlook 2026: supportive (projected sentiment +0.36) · a projection from baseline forecasts

Business-cycle regime

DerivedRegime inputsas of 2025-12-31

Slowdown

growth 1.0%momentum -1.00confidence: high
Turning-point signals
  • Real GDP growth turned down (was rising, now falling).
  • Unemployment turned down (was rising, now falling).

Latest observations

Observed1 indicator omitted (not covered)

as of 2026-06-01

Business confidence indexObserved
99.4

OECD SDMX API

as of 2026-06-01

Consumer confidence indexObserved
100.7

OECD SDMX API

as of 2026-01-01

Current account balance to GDPObserved
5.6%

IMF DataMapper API

as of 2024-01-01

Electric power consumption per capitaObserved
11.4k

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2023-01-01

Net energy importsObserved
84.6%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2024-01-01

Energy use per capitaObserved
5.4k

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Exports of goods and servicesObserved
45.8%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Gross domestic product, current US dollarsObserved
$1.9T

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

GDP per capita, current US dollarsObserved
$36.2k

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Real GDP growthObserved
1.0%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2026-01-01

General government debt to GDPObserved
54.4%

IMF DataMapper API

as of 2025-01-01

Imports of goods and servicesObserved
40.6%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Consumer price inflationObserved
2.1%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Gross fixed capital formation to GDPObserved
28.3%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Total populationObserved
51.7m

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Productivity growthObserved
0.8%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2021-01-01

Renewable energy shareObserved
3.6%

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Total reserves (excluding gold)Observed
$421.9bn

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Reserves in months of importsObserved
6

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Total reserves (including gold)Observed
$436.6bn

World Bank Indicators API

as of 2025-01-01

Unemployment rateObserved
2.7%

World Bank Indicators API

Forward forecast

Derivedprojections, not observations

Headline reliability: below naive track record (-9% skill vs naive; realized ±1.027 over 1) · a track record, not a guarantee

Forecast heldDerivedledger 51018ed
Real GDP growth — 2026 baseline projection
0.87

South Korea: forward projections across 15 macro indicators, horizons 2026, 2028, 2030, 2035. These are projections, not observations — each carries an optimistic/pessimistic band and a confidence interval, anchored against the latest observed value where one is held.

Current account balance to GDP

Latest observed5.6(2026)· IMF DataMapper API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
20266.7810.423.155.94 – 7.63
20287.1513.440.875.53 – 8.78
20307.5215.64-0.65.26 – 9.78
20358.4519.93-3.044.75 – 12.14

Method: linear_trend; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Exports of goods and services

Latest observed45.76(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202647.0354.640.4845.2 – 48.87
202849.5862.6838.2345.33 – 53.83
203052.1269.0337.4745.54 – 58.71
203558.4882.437.7645.71 – 71.25

Method: linear_trend; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Gross domestic product, current US dollars

Latest observed1.9T(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
20261.9T2.1T1.7T1.8T – 1.9T
20281.9T2.3T1.6T1.8T – 2.1T
20302T2.4T1.6T1.7T – 2.2T
20352.1T2.7T1.5T1.6T – 2.5T

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Real GDP growth

Latest observed1.01(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
20260.876.32-3.85-0.05 – 1.8
20280.519.95-7.68-1.11 – 2.13
20300.1412-10-1.97 – 2.25
2035-0.7812-10-3.81 – 2.26

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 6y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

GDP per capita, current US dollars

Latest observed36.2k(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202636.6k40.6k33.1k35.4k – 37.7k
202837.3k44.3k31.3k34.6k – 40.1k
203038.1k47.1k30.3k33.8k – 42.4k
203540k52.7k29k31.7k – 48.3k

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

General government debt to GDP

Latest observed54.4(2026)· IMF DataMapper API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202654.0957.8949.7252.42 – 55.77
202857.6864.2550.153.42 – 61.95
203061.2769.7551.4954.32 – 68.23
203570.2582.2456.4155.67 – 84.82

Method: linear_trend; lookback 10y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Imports of goods and services

Latest observed40.6(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202641.8650.6433.0839.85 – 43.88
202844.3959.629.1839.93 – 48.85
203046.9266.5527.2840.16 – 53.68
203553.238125.4740.47 – 66

Method: linear_trend; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Consumer price inflation

Latest observed2.12(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
20262.175.56-1.461.39 – 2.96
20281.897.77-4.40.5 – 3.29
20301.629.2-5-0.19 – 3.43
20350.9211.64-5-1.62 – 3.46

Method: exponential_smoothing; lookback 6y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Gross fixed capital formation to GDP

Latest observed28.33(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202627.7429.6626.0726.88 – 28.6
202826.2429.5723.3624.3 – 28.18
203024.7529.0521.0221.94 – 27.56
203521.0127.0915.7416.65 – 25.37

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Total population

Latest observed51.7m(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
202651.7m54.1m49.4m50.1m – 53.3m
202851.6m54m49.3m47.8m – 55.4m
203051.5m54m49.3m45.7m – 57.4m
203551.3m53.8m49.1m40.7m – 62m

Method: exponential_smoothing; lookback 10y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Productivity growth

Latest observed0.8(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
20261.036.04-2.730.39 – 1.67
20281.4610.13-5.050.3 – 2.61
20301.8913.09-6.510.34 – 3.44
20352.9715-8.910.51 – 5.42

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 7y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Total reserves (excluding gold)

Latest observed421.9bn(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
2026422.7bn464.9bn380.5bn409.5bn – 436bn
2028424.6bn497.7bn351.6bn393.1bn – 456.2bn
2030426.5bn520.9bn332.2bn378bn – 475.1bn
2035431.3bn564.7bn297.8bn341.8bn – 520.7bn

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Reserves in months of imports

Latest observed6.46(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
20266.78.744.666.28 – 7.12
20286.9810.513.456.11 – 7.86
20307.1211.682.565.85 – 8.39
20357.2313.680.785.09 – 9.37

Method: mean_reversion; lookback 10y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Total reserves (including gold)

Latest observed436.6bn(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
2026439.1bn482.3bn395.8bn425.4bn – 452.7bn
2028445.1bn520.1bn370.2bn412.2bn – 478.1bn
2030451.2bn547.9bn354.5bn400bn – 502.5bn
2035466.4bn603.2bn329.7bn369.7bn – 563.2bn

Method: weighted_composite; lookback 8y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Unemployment rate

Latest observed2.68(2025)· World Bank Indicators API

YearBaselineOptimisticPessimisticConf. band
20262.433.011.842.3 – 2.55
20281.912.920.911.67 – 2.16
20301.42.70.11.09 – 1.71
20350.121.9500 – 0.56

Method: linear_trend; lookback 6y; horizon 1y; confidence 80%

Generated by the prediction engine (model prediction-engine-v1) on 2026-09-18 from observed history. Projections, not observations — never a guarantee of future values.

Machine-readable: GET /api/v1/brief/country/KOR · API docs