GITNUXREPORT 2026

Korea Tech Industry Statistics

Korea's tech industry dominates globally in semiconductors and displays through massive investment.

Rajesh Patel

Rajesh Patel

Team Lead & Senior Researcher with over 15 years of experience in market research and data analytics.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

Naver's AI R&D spend: KRW 1.5 trillion in 2023.

Statistic 2

Kakao's user base: 53 million monthly active users in 2023.

Statistic 3

Korea's software industry revenue: KRW 60 trillion in 2022.

Statistic 4

Number of AI startups in Korea: 1,500 as of 2023.

Statistic 5

Samsung's Bixby AI upgrades processed 10 billion queries in 2023.

Statistic 6

Cloud market size in Korea: $5.2 billion in 2023, CAGR 25%.

Statistic 7

NCSoft's game revenue: KRW 2.8 trillion in 2023.

Statistic 8

Korea's cybersecurity market: $3.1 billion in 2023.

Statistic 9

Number of software patents: 15,000 filed by Korean firms in 2022.

Statistic 10

Kakao AI model KoGPT trained on 500 billion tokens.

Statistic 11

IT services exports from Korea: $25 billion in 2023.

Statistic 12

Naver HyperCLOVA X AI parameters: 650 billion in 2023 launch.

Statistic 13

Number of big data firms: 2,100 in Korea 2023.

Statistic 14

Software workforce: 1.1 million in Korea 2023.

Statistic 15

Generative AI investments: KRW 1 trillion by VCs in 2023.

Statistic 16

Nexon's global game users: 100 million MAU 2023.

Statistic 17

Korea's blockchain patents: 4,500 cumulative by 2023.

Statistic 18

IT outsourcing market: KRW 40 trillion domestic 2023.

Statistic 19

AI chip startups funding: $500 million in 2023.

Statistic 20

Samsung SDS cloud revenue growth: 30% YoY 2023.

Statistic 21

LG Display supplied 45% of OLED panels for smartphones in 2023.

Statistic 22

Samsung Display's revenue from OLED: KRW 25 trillion in 2023.

Statistic 23

Korea's LCD panel market share dropped to 18% globally in 2023.

Statistic 24

Production of QD-OLED panels by Samsung: 1.5 million units in 2023.

Statistic 25

Flexible OLED shipments from Korea: 250 million units in 2023.

Statistic 26

Korea's mini-LED TV panel production capacity: 5 million units/year by 2024.

Statistic 27

Samsung's foldable display yield rate: over 90% in 2023.

Statistic 28

LG Display's automotive OLED revenue: $1.2 billion in 2023.

Statistic 29

Korea's share in IT display exports: 38% of global value in 2023.

Statistic 30

MicroLED R&D investment by Samsung: KRW 3.5 trillion cumulative by 2023.

Statistic 31

Number of display patents by Korean firms: 8,200 in 2022.

Statistic 32

OLED material self-sufficiency rate in Korea: 65% in 2023.

Statistic 33

Samsung TV global market share: 29.4% in Q3 2023.

Statistic 34

LG Electronics' OLED TV sales: 2.1 million units in 2023.

Statistic 35

Korea's home appliance exports: $28 billion in 2023, led by Samsung/LG.

Statistic 36

Samsung refrigerator market share: 22% global premium segment 2023.

Statistic 37

Battery-powered electronics production in Korea: up 15% YoY 2023.

Statistic 38

Wearable device exports from Korea: $4.5 billion in 2023.

Statistic 39

Samsung Galaxy Watch shipments: 12 million units in 2023.

Statistic 40

Korea's PC monitor production: 45 million units annually 2023.

Statistic 41

Samsung smartphone global market share: 20.5% in Q4 2023.

Statistic 42

SK Telecom's 5G subscribers: 18.2 million as of Q3 2023.

Statistic 43

Korea's 5G base stations: over 120,000 deployed by end 2023.

Statistic 44

Samsung's foldable phone shipments: 10.5 million units in 2023.

Statistic 45

LG U+'s fiber optic subscribers: 7.5 million in 2023.

Statistic 46

Korea's mobile data traffic: 15.2 TB per month per user in 2023.

Statistic 47

KT Corp's ARPU: KRW 45,000 in Q3 2023.

Statistic 48

Samsung Exynos chip used in 30% of Galaxy devices in 2023.

Statistic 49

6G R&D budget by Korean government: KRW 2,100 billion by 2026.

Statistic 50

Korea's smartphone exports: $55 billion in 2023.

Statistic 51

Number of mobile apps developed in Korea: 1.2 million in 2023.

Statistic 52

Samsung's network equipment revenue: $8 billion in 2023.

Statistic 53

Korea's satellite communication investments: KRW 500 billion in 2023.

Statistic 54

5G SA penetration in Korea: 45% by Q4 2023.

Statistic 55

LG U+ 5G fixed wireless access users: 1.8 million in 2023.

Statistic 56

Korea's average mobile speed: 150 Mbps in Oct 2023 globally top.

Statistic 57

Samsung's satellite messaging in Galaxy S24: first commercial 2024.

Statistic 58

Telecom capex in Korea: KRW 20 trillion in 2023.

Statistic 59

Korea's VC investment in tech: $10.2 billion in 2023.

Statistic 60

Government R&D budget for tech: KRW 28 trillion in 2024.

Statistic 61

Number of tech unicorns in Korea: 27 as of 2023.

Statistic 62

Semiconductor cluster investment: KRW 51 trillion by 2030.

Statistic 63

Tech startup count: 18,000 new registrations in 2023.

Statistic 64

R&D expenditure as % of GDP: 5.2% in 2022 highest OECD.

Statistic 65

Private R&D spend: KRW 80 trillion in 2023.

Statistic 66

Number of researchers per 1,000 people: 17.8 in Korea 2022.

Statistic 67

Tech IPOs on KOSDAQ: 45 in 2023 raising $3B.

Statistic 68

Pangyo Techno Valley firms: 1,700 tech companies 2023.

Statistic 69

Foreign direct investment in tech: $15 billion in 2023.

Statistic 70

Women in STEM workforce: 32% in Korea 2023.

Statistic 71

Tech M&A deals: 250 transactions worth $12B in 2023.

Statistic 72

Government tech grants: KRW 5 trillion to SMEs 2023.

Statistic 73

Digital New Deal investment: KRW 160 trillion cumulative by 2023.

Statistic 74

Number of incubators/accelerators: 450 in Korea 2023.

Statistic 75

Tech export contribution to GDP: 18% in 2023.

Statistic 76

Corporate R&D tax credits: KRW 12 trillion claimed 2023.

Statistic 77

AI national strategy funding: KRW 3 trillion over 5 years from 2023.

Statistic 78

In 2023, South Korea produced 64.5% of the world's DRAM memory chips, leading global market share.

Statistic 79

Samsung Electronics held 42.3% of global DRAM market revenue in Q4 2023.

Statistic 80

SK Hynix captured 28.1% of global NAND flash market share in 2023.

Statistic 81

South Korea's semiconductor industry exported $128.8 billion worth in 2023, up 27.4% YoY.

Statistic 82

Foundry market: Samsung's revenue share was 11% globally in Q3 2023 behind TSMC.

Statistic 83

South Korea invested KRW 33 trillion in semiconductor R&D in 2023.

Statistic 84

Number of fabless semiconductor firms in Korea reached 1,248 in 2023.

Statistic 85

Korea's logic chip production capacity is projected to reach 1.2 million wafers/month by 2025.

Statistic 86

In 2022, Korea accounted for 19.7% of global semiconductor production value.

Statistic 87

Samsung's advanced node (below 10nm) yield rate exceeded 70% in 2023.

Statistic 88

HBM3E sales by SK Hynix surged 400% YoY in Q3 2023 for AI chips.

Statistic 89

Korea's semiconductor equipment investment hit $15.2 billion in 2023.

Statistic 90

Number of Korean semiconductor patents filed: 12,450 in 2022.

Statistic 91

Korea's share in global system semiconductors was 15.2% in 2023.

Statistic 92

Power semiconductor market: Korea's share 22% in SiC devices 2023.

Statistic 93

Samsung plans $230 billion capex in semiconductors over next 20 years.

Statistic 94

SK Hynix's capex for 2024: KRW 25-30 trillion focused on HBM.

Statistic 95

Korea's MEMS sensor production: 1.2 billion units annually in 2023.

Statistic 96

Analog chip market share of Korean firms: 8.5% global in 2023.

Statistic 97

Korea semiconductor workforce: 290,000 employees in 2023.

Sources
Trusted by 500+ publications
Harvard Business ReviewThe GuardianFortune+497
From dominating global memory chip production and pioneering cutting-edge displays to pouring astronomical investments into AI and semiconductors, South Korea's tech industry isn't just competing—it's fundamentally powering the digital world.

Key Takeaways

  • In 2023, South Korea produced 64.5% of the world's DRAM memory chips, leading global market share.
  • Samsung Electronics held 42.3% of global DRAM market revenue in Q4 2023.
  • SK Hynix captured 28.1% of global NAND flash market share in 2023.
  • LG Display supplied 45% of OLED panels for smartphones in 2023.
  • Samsung Display's revenue from OLED: KRW 25 trillion in 2023.
  • Korea's LCD panel market share dropped to 18% globally in 2023.
  • Samsung smartphone global market share: 20.5% in Q4 2023.
  • SK Telecom's 5G subscribers: 18.2 million as of Q3 2023.
  • Korea's 5G base stations: over 120,000 deployed by end 2023.
  • Naver's AI R&D spend: KRW 1.5 trillion in 2023.
  • Kakao's user base: 53 million monthly active users in 2023.
  • Korea's software industry revenue: KRW 60 trillion in 2022.
  • Korea's VC investment in tech: $10.2 billion in 2023.
  • Government R&D budget for tech: KRW 28 trillion in 2024.
  • Number of tech unicorns in Korea: 27 as of 2023.

Korea's tech industry dominates globally in semiconductors and displays through massive investment.

AI, Software, and IT Services

  • Naver's AI R&D spend: KRW 1.5 trillion in 2023.
  • Kakao's user base: 53 million monthly active users in 2023.
  • Korea's software industry revenue: KRW 60 trillion in 2022.
  • Number of AI startups in Korea: 1,500 as of 2023.
  • Samsung's Bixby AI upgrades processed 10 billion queries in 2023.
  • Cloud market size in Korea: $5.2 billion in 2023, CAGR 25%.
  • NCSoft's game revenue: KRW 2.8 trillion in 2023.
  • Korea's cybersecurity market: $3.1 billion in 2023.
  • Number of software patents: 15,000 filed by Korean firms in 2022.
  • Kakao AI model KoGPT trained on 500 billion tokens.
  • IT services exports from Korea: $25 billion in 2023.
  • Naver HyperCLOVA X AI parameters: 650 billion in 2023 launch.
  • Number of big data firms: 2,100 in Korea 2023.
  • Software workforce: 1.1 million in Korea 2023.
  • Generative AI investments: KRW 1 trillion by VCs in 2023.
  • Nexon's global game users: 100 million MAU 2023.
  • Korea's blockchain patents: 4,500 cumulative by 2023.
  • IT outsourcing market: KRW 40 trillion domestic 2023.
  • AI chip startups funding: $500 million in 2023.
  • Samsung SDS cloud revenue growth: 30% YoY 2023.

AI, Software, and IT Services Interpretation

From vast corporate budgets to garage-born startups, Korea’s tech sector is now an audacious, trillion-won race to capture the future, where even your search query, mobile game, and chatbot are all fueling a high-stakes digital metamorphosis.

Displays and Electronics

  • LG Display supplied 45% of OLED panels for smartphones in 2023.
  • Samsung Display's revenue from OLED: KRW 25 trillion in 2023.
  • Korea's LCD panel market share dropped to 18% globally in 2023.
  • Production of QD-OLED panels by Samsung: 1.5 million units in 2023.
  • Flexible OLED shipments from Korea: 250 million units in 2023.
  • Korea's mini-LED TV panel production capacity: 5 million units/year by 2024.
  • Samsung's foldable display yield rate: over 90% in 2023.
  • LG Display's automotive OLED revenue: $1.2 billion in 2023.
  • Korea's share in IT display exports: 38% of global value in 2023.
  • MicroLED R&D investment by Samsung: KRW 3.5 trillion cumulative by 2023.
  • Number of display patents by Korean firms: 8,200 in 2022.
  • OLED material self-sufficiency rate in Korea: 65% in 2023.
  • Samsung TV global market share: 29.4% in Q3 2023.
  • LG Electronics' OLED TV sales: 2.1 million units in 2023.
  • Korea's home appliance exports: $28 billion in 2023, led by Samsung/LG.
  • Samsung refrigerator market share: 22% global premium segment 2023.
  • Battery-powered electronics production in Korea: up 15% YoY 2023.
  • Wearable device exports from Korea: $4.5 billion in 2023.
  • Samsung Galaxy Watch shipments: 12 million units in 2023.
  • Korea's PC monitor production: 45 million units annually 2023.

Displays and Electronics Interpretation

With LG practically holding up half the smartphone world in its OLED hands and Samsung printing KRW 25 trillion from them, Korea’s display titans have brilliantly traded yesterday’s LCD bulk for today’s high-value OLED dominion, from flexible screens and folding phones to luxury car dashboards, all while preparing to blind us with the next big thing in MicroLED.

Mobile and Telecom

  • Samsung smartphone global market share: 20.5% in Q4 2023.
  • SK Telecom's 5G subscribers: 18.2 million as of Q3 2023.
  • Korea's 5G base stations: over 120,000 deployed by end 2023.
  • Samsung's foldable phone shipments: 10.5 million units in 2023.
  • LG U+'s fiber optic subscribers: 7.5 million in 2023.
  • Korea's mobile data traffic: 15.2 TB per month per user in 2023.
  • KT Corp's ARPU: KRW 45,000 in Q3 2023.
  • Samsung Exynos chip used in 30% of Galaxy devices in 2023.
  • 6G R&D budget by Korean government: KRW 2,100 billion by 2026.
  • Korea's smartphone exports: $55 billion in 2023.
  • Number of mobile apps developed in Korea: 1.2 million in 2023.
  • Samsung's network equipment revenue: $8 billion in 2023.
  • Korea's satellite communication investments: KRW 500 billion in 2023.
  • 5G SA penetration in Korea: 45% by Q4 2023.
  • LG U+ 5G fixed wireless access users: 1.8 million in 2023.
  • Korea's average mobile speed: 150 Mbps in Oct 2023 globally top.
  • Samsung's satellite messaging in Galaxy S24: first commercial 2024.
  • Telecom capex in Korea: KRW 20 trillion in 2023.

Mobile and Telecom Interpretation

Korea's tech industry is a powerhouse, building dense 5G networks that devour data, crafting intricate foldable phones shipped globally, and even plotting a 6G future, all while ensuring its citizens are extraordinarily well-connected, albeit at a price.

R&D, Investment, and Ecosystem

  • Korea's VC investment in tech: $10.2 billion in 2023.
  • Government R&D budget for tech: KRW 28 trillion in 2024.
  • Number of tech unicorns in Korea: 27 as of 2023.
  • Semiconductor cluster investment: KRW 51 trillion by 2030.
  • Tech startup count: 18,000 new registrations in 2023.
  • R&D expenditure as % of GDP: 5.2% in 2022 highest OECD.
  • Private R&D spend: KRW 80 trillion in 2023.
  • Number of researchers per 1,000 people: 17.8 in Korea 2022.
  • Tech IPOs on KOSDAQ: 45 in 2023 raising $3B.
  • Pangyo Techno Valley firms: 1,700 tech companies 2023.
  • Foreign direct investment in tech: $15 billion in 2023.
  • Women in STEM workforce: 32% in Korea 2023.
  • Tech M&A deals: 250 transactions worth $12B in 2023.
  • Government tech grants: KRW 5 trillion to SMEs 2023.
  • Digital New Deal investment: KRW 160 trillion cumulative by 2023.
  • Number of incubators/accelerators: 450 in Korea 2023.
  • Tech export contribution to GDP: 18% in 2023.
  • Corporate R&D tax credits: KRW 12 trillion claimed 2023.
  • AI national strategy funding: KRW 3 trillion over 5 years from 2023.

R&D, Investment, and Ecosystem Interpretation

Korea's tech industry is throwing the kitchen sink, the entire appliance store, and a dedicated semiconductor factory at the future, betting billions in public and private cash to turn its formidable research army into a global powerhouse of startups and exports.

Semiconductors

  • In 2023, South Korea produced 64.5% of the world's DRAM memory chips, leading global market share.
  • Samsung Electronics held 42.3% of global DRAM market revenue in Q4 2023.
  • SK Hynix captured 28.1% of global NAND flash market share in 2023.
  • South Korea's semiconductor industry exported $128.8 billion worth in 2023, up 27.4% YoY.
  • Foundry market: Samsung's revenue share was 11% globally in Q3 2023 behind TSMC.
  • South Korea invested KRW 33 trillion in semiconductor R&D in 2023.
  • Number of fabless semiconductor firms in Korea reached 1,248 in 2023.
  • Korea's logic chip production capacity is projected to reach 1.2 million wafers/month by 2025.
  • In 2022, Korea accounted for 19.7% of global semiconductor production value.
  • Samsung's advanced node (below 10nm) yield rate exceeded 70% in 2023.
  • HBM3E sales by SK Hynix surged 400% YoY in Q3 2023 for AI chips.
  • Korea's semiconductor equipment investment hit $15.2 billion in 2023.
  • Number of Korean semiconductor patents filed: 12,450 in 2022.
  • Korea's share in global system semiconductors was 15.2% in 2023.
  • Power semiconductor market: Korea's share 22% in SiC devices 2023.
  • Samsung plans $230 billion capex in semiconductors over next 20 years.
  • SK Hynix's capex for 2024: KRW 25-30 trillion focused on HBM.
  • Korea's MEMS sensor production: 1.2 billion units annually in 2023.
  • Analog chip market share of Korean firms: 8.5% global in 2023.
  • Korea semiconductor workforce: 290,000 employees in 2023.

Semiconductors Interpretation

Despite South Korea's undeniable dominance in memory chips, its semiconductor industry is strategically pouring billions into R&D and fab expansion to ensure its future isn't just about remembering things for everyone else, but about thinking for itself.

Sources & References

Logos provided by Logo.dev