Real GDP during each president's tenure
Every president since 1991, ranked by how real GDP changed from their first day in office. Politare shows what happened during a tenure; it does not claim the office-holder caused it.
| # | President | In office | Total | Per year | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DP Kim Young-sam | 25 Feb 1993 – 25 Feb 1998 | +46.6% Q4 1992 → Q4 1997 | +7.9%/yr | |
| 2 | DP Kim Dae-jung | 25 Feb 1998 – 25 Feb 2003 | +32.3% Q4 1997 → Q4 2002 | +5.8%/yr | |
| 3 | DP Roh Moo-hyun | 25 Feb 2003 – 25 Feb 2008 | +26.5% Q4 2002 → Q4 2007 | +4.8%/yr | |
| 4 | LKP Lee Myung-bak | 25 Feb 2008 – 25 Feb 2013 | +16.3% Q4 2007 → Q4 2012 | +3.1%/yr | |
| 5 | DPK Moon Jae-in | 10 May 2017 – 10 May 2022 | +13.4% Q1 2017 → Q1 2022 | +2.5%/yr | |
| 6 | LKP Park Geun-hye | 25 Feb 2013 – 9 Dec 2016 | +12.6% Q4 2012 → Q3 2016 | +3.2%/yr | |
| 7 | PPP Yoon Suk Yeol | 10 May 2022 – 4 Jun 2025 | +4.5% Q1 2022 → Q1 2025 | +1.5%/yr | |
| 8 | DPK Lee Jae Myung | 4 Jun 2025 – now | +4.4% Q1 2025 → Q2 2026 | +3.5%/yr |
Sorted by total, highest first. Every row is indexed to the last quarter complete before the first day in office ("from" marks a start that had to move because that period had no data, or because the period cut it); Levels are per cent changes, rates are differences in %; "per year" compounds levels and divides rates. Tenures with under 12 months, or under three observations, are left out. ₩tn, chain-linked volumes · Bank of Korea quarterly national accounts via the OECD (QNA, B1GQ), chain-linked volumes, seasonally adjusted · South Korea data · as of Sep 2026.