South Korea’s economy expanded by 1.6% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, a slight slowdown from the 1.8% growth recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025. The latest GDP figure, updated on 09 March 2026, indicates a modest loss of momentum in the country’s annual growth rate at the start of the year.
The comparison is based on year-over-year performance, measuring the change in GDP in the first quarter of 2026 against the same period a year earlier, while the previous figure reflects the change in the fourth quarter of 2025 versus the corresponding quarter of the prior year. The marginal deceleration suggests that while South Korea’s economy continues to expand, underlying growth conditions have softened compared with late 2025. Investors and policymakers will be watching upcoming quarters closely for signs of whether this trend becomes more pronounced or stabilizes.
