South Korea is a sovereign state in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. Highly urbanized at 92%, South Koreans lead a distinctive urban lifestyle; half of them live in high-rises[수도권]‘응팔 아파트’ 만들기 서울시의 이색 도전 : 뉴스 : 동아닷컴. News.donga.com (January 7, 2016). Retrieved June 20, 2016. concentrated in the Seoul Capital Area with 25 million residents and the world's sixth-leading global cityInstitute for Urban Strategies, The Mori Memorials Foundation (2015). Global Power City Index 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2016 with the fourth-largest economyGlobal Metro Monitor |Brookings Institution. Brookings.edu (January 22, 2015). Retrieved June 20, 2016. and seventh-most sustainable city in the world.
Driven by a highly educated and skilled workforce, it has the world's eighth-highest median household income, the highest in Asia, and its singles in particular earn more than all G7 nations. Globally, it ranks highly in personal safety,Crime Index by Country 2016. Numbeo.com. Retrieved June 20, 2016. job security, and healthcare quality, with the world's third-highest health adjusted life expectancy and fourth-most efficient healthcare system. It is the world's largest spender on R&D per GDP, leading the OECD in graduates in science and engineering and ranking third in the Youth Wellbeing Index. Home of Samsung, POSCO, LG and Hyundai-Kia, South Korea was named the world's most innovative country in the Bloomberg Innovation Index, ranking first in business R&D intensity and patents filed per GDP. As of 2014, it has the world's fastest Internet speed and highest smartphone ownership, ranking first in ICT Development, e-GovernmentUN E-Government Survey 2014. Unpan3.un.org. Retrieved June 20, 2016. and 4G LTE coverage.
For further information on the types of business entities in this country and their abbreviations, see "Business entities in South Korea".
Largest firms
This list shows firms in the Fortune Global 500, which ranks firms by total revenues reported before 1 February 2025. Only the top five firms (if available) are included as a sample.
RankImageName2024 revenues (US$M)EmployeesNotes 31 Samsung 198,257 267,860 Multinational electronics conglomerate, and one of the world's largest information technology firms. Closely branded subsidiaries include Samsung Electronics, Samsung C&T Corporation, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Samsung Heavy Industries, Samsung Life Insurance, and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance 73 Hyundai Motor Company 124,577 73,502 Third-largest automotive manufacturer, including its Kia Motors and Genesis Motors brand divisions, and regional subsidiaries Hyundai Motor India Limited, Beijing Hyundai, Hyundai Motor America, and Hyundai Motor Europe GmbH 100 SK Group 101,969 114,950 Diversified conglomerate with more than 95 subsidiaries and affiliates, including SK Innovation (Energy), SK Telecom (telecommunications), SK Hynix (semiconductors), and SK C&C (consulting) 162 Kia 76,419 52,871 Multinational automobile manufacturer, 34% owned by Hyundai Motor 201 Korea Electric Power Corporation 66,977 48,696 Korea's largest electrical utility, majority-owned by the Korean state. The firm provides for generation, distribution, and major development projects.
Notable firms This list includes notable companies with primary headquarters located in the country. The industry and sector follow the Industry Classification Benchmark taxonomy. Organizations which have ceased operations are included and noted as defunct.