Global Economic Times

South Korea Ranks 4th Globally in Nation Brand and 17th in National Competitiveness: National Strength Proven by Rankings: KO YONG-CHUL Reporter / Updated : 2026-01-03 07:40:25

The Institute for Industrial Policy Studies - National Competitiveness (IPSNC) announced that South Korea has once again demonstrated its global stature, ranking 4th in a Nation Brand evaluation of 39 countries and 17th in National Competitiveness among 62 countries—a one-step climb from the previous year. These results were officially released during the "2025 Nation Brand & National Competitiveness Conference" held at the National Assembly on December 30.

The IPSNC and the Nation Brand Promotion Agency (NBP), in collaboration with the Institute for Industrial Policy Studies (IPS), hosted the conference on December 30, 2025, at the National Assembly Library Auditorium in Yeouido, Seoul. During the event, they disclosed the National Competitiveness rankings for 62 countries and the Nation Brand Power evaluation for 39 countries. Conducted annually for 26 years since 2000, this evaluation is recognized as a leading international comparative index that provides long-term analysis of national policy capabilities and competitive structures.

In this year’s National Competitiveness evaluation, South Korea rose one spot to 17th, continuing a steady trend of improvement. In the Nation Brand category, the country maintained its 4th-place position from the previous year, reconfirming its status as a top-tier global power following the United States, China, and Germany.

Beyond simply announcing rankings, this conference focused on systematically analyzing the competitive structures and development paths of various nations while suggesting directions for strategic choices. Notably, the event featured a video presentation on Thailand’s rapid growth. It highlighted how Thailand enhanced its competitiveness through a "selection and focus" strategy—leveraging its agricultural and manufacturing resources, abundant labor force, and competitive business environment by benchmarking comparable nations. The research team emphasized that national competitiveness is formed not merely by economic scale, but by the consistency of policy choices and the capacity for execution.

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