Korea's GNI per capita to exceed $40,000 for 1st time in 2026: BOK

Korea’s per capita GNI is likely to surpass $40,000 this year for the first time, the Bank of Korea said Monday, helped by booming semiconductor exports and a stronger won. The central bank said nominal GNI rose 8.8 percent on quarter and 26.4 percent on year in the second quarter, while real GNI rose 3.1 percent and 15.6 percent. Real GDP also grew 0.6 percent on quarter and 3.7 percent on year in the April-June period. A BOK official said the exchange rate will be the biggest variable in whether Korea crosses the threshold.

Nominal GNI rose 8.8 percent in the second quarter from the previous quarter and 26.4 percent from a year earlier.

Real GNI increased 3.1 percent on quarter and 15.6 percent on year, its fastest annual growth since the fourth quarter of 1988.

Korea’s won-dollar rate fell to the 1,330-won range Monday, its strongest level in nearly two years.

Last year, Korea’s per capita GNI was $36,963 in dollar terms, after rising only 0.3 percent from a year earlier.

Real GDP increased 0.6 percent from the previous quarter and 3.7 percent from a year earlier in the April-June period.

Published Sep 8, 2026 2:57 pm KST

Chip export boom, stronger won drive per capita GNI to record high

Containers are stacked at a port in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday. Yonhap

Korea's gross national income (GNI) per capita is likely to surpass $40,000 this year for the first time, helped by a sharp increase in national income driven largely by the semiconductor boom and a stronger won, the Bank of Korea (BOK) said Monday.

The new prediction comes as the country's national income has posted strong growth in the second quarter.

Nominal GNI rose 8.8 percent in the second quarter from the previous quarter and 26.4 percent from a year earlier. Real GNI, which strips out the effects of inflation, increased 3.1 percent on-quarter and 15.6 percent on-year, marking its fastest annual growth since the fourth quarter of 1988.

Kim Hwa-yong, director of the BOK's production, expenditure and income division, said per capita GNI is on track to surpass $40,000 this year.

"If there are no unexpected shocks in the remainder of the year and nominal GNI growth remains at its current pace while the exchange rate remains stable, per capita GNI in U.S. dollar terms is highly likely to exceed $40,000," Kim said during a briefing.

Per capita GNI is calculated by dividing the total income earned by a country's residents at home and abroad by its population. It is commonly converted into U.S. dollars to compare living standards across countries.

Korea's GNI per capita first surpassed $30,000 in 2014 and has remained in the $30,000 range since then. Last year, in terms of won, it rose 4.6 percent from a year earlier but increased just 0.3 percent in dollar terms to $36,963 as the won weakened against the U.S. dollar.

The expected jump above $40,000 this year is being driven primarily by a sharp increase in nominal national income, with strong semiconductor exports boosting corporate earnings. The won's strengthening against the dollar has also lifted the figure when converted into U.S. currency.

The won has strengthened sharply in recent weeks, with the won-dollar rate falling from the high 1,400s in late July to the mid-1,300s in early September. It reached the 1,330-won range Monday, its strongest level in nearly two years, as strong semiconductor exports boosted dollar sales by exporters.

Experts said the exchange rate could prove to be the biggest variable in whether Korea actually crosses the $40,000 threshold.

"Semiconductor exports are likely to remain strong throughout the year, but if the won weakens again after its recent stabilization, that could affect per capita GNI in dollar terms," said Kang Sung-jin, a professor of economics at Korea University.

Kang also pointed out that crossing the $40,000 mark may not mean that Koreans' wages or living standards have improved by the same extent, as gains in national income are not necessarily distributed evenly across households and industries.

Meanwhile, BOK data released the same day showed that the economy maintained its growth trajectory in the second quarter. Real gross domestic product, a key measure of economic growth, increased 0.6 percent from the previous quarter.

On a yearly basis, the economy expanded 3.7 percent in the April-June period, extending its growth momentum after growing 3.8 percent from a year earlier in the first quarter.

韩国央行周一表示，受半导体出口蓬勃发展和韩元走强的推动，韩国今年人均国民总收入（GNI）有望首次突破4万美元大关。韩国央行称，第二季度名义国民总收入环比增长8.8%，同比增长26.4%；实际国民总收入环比增长3.1%，同比增长15.6%。同期，实际国内生产总值（GDP）环比增长0.6%，同比增长3.7%。韩国央行一位官员表示，汇率将是韩国能否突破这一门槛的最大变数。

第二季度名义国民总收入比上一季度增长8.8%，比上年同期增长26.4%。

实际国民总收入环比增长 3.1%，同比增长 15.6%，创下自 1988 年第四季度以来的最快年度增速。

周一，韩元兑美元汇率跌至1330韩元左右，为近两年来最高水平。

去年，韩国人均国民总收入（GNI）按美元计算为 36,963 美元，比上年仅增长 0.3%。

4月至6月期间，实际GDP较上一季度增长0.6%，较上年同期增长3.7%。

发布于2026年9月8日下午2:57（韩国标准时间）

芯片出口繁荣和韩元走强推动人均国民总收入创历史新高

周日，在京畿道平泽市的一个港口，集装箱堆放整齐。（韩联社）

韩国银行（BOK）周一表示，受半导体繁荣和韩元走强带动国民收入大幅增长的推动，韩国今年人均国民总收入（GNI）有望首次超过4万美元。

这项新的预测出台之际，该国国民收入在第二季度实现了强劲增长。

第二季度名义国民总收入环比增长8.8%，同比增长26.4%。剔除通货膨胀影响后的实际国民总收入环比增长3.1%，同比增长15.6%，创下自1988年第四季度以来的最快年度增速。

韩国央行生产、支出和收入部门主管金华勇表示，今年人均国民总收入有望超过 4 万美元。

金在一次简报会上表示：“如果今年剩余时间没有出现意外冲击，名义国民总收入增长保持目前的速度，汇率保持稳定，那么以美元计价的人均国民总收入很可能超过4万美元。”

人均国民总收入（GNI）的计算方法是用一个国家居民在国内和国外获得的收入总和除以该国人口数。通常将其换算成美元，以便比较各国的生活水平。

韩国人均国民总收入（GNI）在2014年首次突破3万美元，此后一直维持在3万美元左右。去年，以韩元计价，韩国人均国民总收入较上年增长4.6%，但以美元计价仅增长0.3%，至36963美元，原因是韩元对美元走弱。

今年韩元有望突破4万美元大关，主要得益于名义国民收入的大幅增长，其中半导体出口强劲提振了企业盈利。此外，韩元对美元走强也推高了以美元计价的韩元汇率。

近几周韩元大幅走强，韩元兑美元汇率从7月底的1400多韩元跌至9月初的1300多韩元。周一，韩元兑美元汇率一度触及1330韩元附近，创下近两年来的最高水平，主要原因是强劲的半导体出口提振了出口商的美元销售额。

专家表示，汇率可能是韩国能否真正突破 4 万美元大关的最大变数。

“半导体出口全年可能保持强劲，但如果韩元在近期企稳后再次走弱，可能会影响以美元计价的人均国民总收入，”韩国大学经济学教授康成镇表示。

康还指出，收入突破 4 万美元大关并不一定意味着韩国人的工资或生活水平有了同等程度的提高，因为国民收入的增长并不一定会在各个家庭和行业之间平均分配。

与此同时，韩国央行同日公布的数据显示，韩国经济在第二季度保持了增长势头。作为衡量经济增长的关键指标，实际国内生产总值环比增长0.6%。

与去年同期相比，今年4月至6月经济增长3.7%，延续了第一季度同比增长3.8%的增长势头。