South Korea vs Spain
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: South Korea ranks higher
South Korea scores 80/100 on our composite investment index, ahead of Spain at 76/100. 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
82
Economic strength
South Korea leads
74
78
Political stability
78
82
Business climate
South Korea leads
74
80
Financial maturity
South Korea leads
72
70
Growth outlook
Spain leads
72
Macro snapshot
1,710
GDP (USD bn)
+128.4 bn
1,582
2.2%
GDP growth (%)
-0.3 pp
2.5%
$33,000
GDP per capita (USD)
-280.0
$33,280
2.5%
Inflation (%)
-0.3 pp
2.8%
1.2%
FDI (% of GDP)
-1.6 pp
2.8%
54%
Public debt (% of GDP)
-53.5 pp
108%
52
Population (M)
+3.9M
48.1
South Korea — strong sectors
- Semiconductors8.0% of GDP95
- Technology12.0% of GDP90
- Automotive5.0% of GDP82
- Manufacturing25.0% of GDP82
Spain — strong sectors
- Tourism12.0% of GDP82
- Renewable Energy5.0% of GDP80
- Automotive4.0% of GDP72
- Agriculture3.0% of GDP68
Frequently asked
Which is better for investment: South Korea or Spain?
Our composite investment index gives South Korea a score of 80/100 and Spain a score of 76/100. South Korea ranks higher overall, but the right answer depends on your sector and risk tolerance — see the category breakdown above.
Is South Korea a safer market than Spain?
Risk classification puts South Korea as safe (Strong fundamentals, stable governance, favorable investment climate) and Spain as safe (Strong fundamentals, stable governance, favorable investment climate).
Which has higher GDP growth: South Korea or Spain?
South Korea is currently growing at 2.2% per year, vs 2.5% for Spain. Spain has the faster headline growth rate today.