South Korea household net worth up 9% while top 20% see income rise

South Korea’s average per‑capita household net assets increased 9.1% in 2025, reaching 274.7 million won (about US$193,000). The rise was driven by higher housing values and a surge in equity securities and investment funds, which added 525 trillion won. Total national net wealth, including households, corporations and government, hit 24.56 quadrillion won, though growth slowed to 2.2% from the previous year’s 5.0%.

Government data for the first quarter show real income fell for the bottom four income quintiles of urban households, while the top quintile recorded a 1.6% increase. The gain for the highest‑income group stemmed mainly from transfer income, which rose sharply, whereas wage and business income grew modestly. In contrast, the lower quintiles saw declines in both wages and transfer payments, widening the income gap.