Ireland vs South Korea
A data-driven side-by-side: investment score, economy, business climate, political stability, and tax — to help you decide where to invest, incorporate, or relocate.
Overall: Ireland ranks higher
Ireland scores 85/100 on our composite investment index, ahead of South Korea at 80/100. This blends economic strength, political stability, business climate, financial maturity, and growth outlook. Read the breakdown below to see where each country actually leads.
Category breakdown
88
Economic strength
Ireland leads
82
88
Political stability
Ireland leads
78
88
Business climate
Ireland leads
82
78
Financial maturity
South Korea leads
80
80
Growth outlook
Ireland leads
70
Macro snapshot
546
GDP (USD bn)
-1164.4 bn
1,710
2.8%
GDP growth (%)
+0.6 pp
2.2%
$106,210
GDP per capita (USD)
+73210.0
$33,000
2.2%
Inflation (%)
-0.3 pp
2.5%
18.5%
FDI (% of GDP)
+17.3 pp
1.2%
44%
Public debt (% of GDP)
-9.8 pp
54%
5.2
Population (M)
-46.8M
52
Ireland — strong sectors
- Technology15.2% of GDP92
- Pharmaceuticals12.8% of GDP90
- Financial Services8.5% of GDP82
- Agriculture & Food2.5% of GDP72
South Korea — strong sectors
- Semiconductors8.0% of GDP95
- Technology12.0% of GDP90
- Automotive5.0% of GDP82
- Manufacturing25.0% of GDP82
Frequently asked
Which is better for investment: Ireland or South Korea?
Our composite investment index gives Ireland a score of 85/100 and South Korea a score of 80/100. Ireland ranks higher overall, but the right answer depends on your sector and risk tolerance — see the category breakdown above.
Is Ireland a safer market than South Korea?
Risk classification puts Ireland as safe (Strong fundamentals, stable governance, favorable investment climate) and South Korea as safe (Strong fundamentals, stable governance, favorable investment climate).
Which has higher GDP growth: Ireland or South Korea?
Ireland is currently growing at 2.8% per year, vs 2.2% for South Korea. Ireland has the faster headline growth rate today.