Compare armed forces

Alliance builder

Military power of Ukraine & South Korea

Ukraine flag svg South Korea flag svg

Ukraine vs South Korea

Show map
Ukraine South Korea

Ukraine is a country located in Eastern Europe with an area of 603,500 km2 (land boundries: 5,581 km and costline 2,782 km). The capital of Ukraine is Kiev. The number of inhabitants is 41,487,960.

During the 2008 Bucharest summit, NATO declared that Ukraine would eventually become a member of NATO when it meets the criteria for accession. In February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian military is equipped mostly with older Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems. Ukraine has a broad defense industry capable of building Soviet-era land systems and maintaining and upgrading Soviet-era combat aircraft, as well as missile and air defense systems.

More about Ukraine military

South Korea is a country located in Eastern Asia with an area of 100,210 km2 (land boundries: 237 km and costline 2,413 km). The capital of South Korea is Seoul. The number of inhabitants is 51,709,098.

US-South Korea Mutual Defense Treaty is a cornerstone of South Korea’s security. The Treaty gave the US permission to station land, air, and sea forces in the territory of South Korea. The USA maintained approximately 28,000 military personnel in the country. South Korea has been engaged with NATO through dialogue and security cooperation since 2005 and is considered by NATO to be a global partner. The South Korean military is equipped with a mix of domestically-produced and imported weapons systems. The top foreign weapons supplier is the United States and some domestically-produced systems are built under US license.

More about South Korea military

If you want to check the comparison in terms of economic ratios check out CompareEconomy.com

Military expenditures

small flag UA
small flag KR

Military budget

+
31 billion $
44 billion $

Percent of GDP

+
16 %
2.5 %

Manpower

small flag UA
small flag KR

Active personnel

+
1,250,000
555,000

Reserve personnel

+
1,000,000
2,750,000

Available for military

+
11,149,646
13,185,794

Land Forces

small flag UA
small flag KR
mlrs svg

Tanks

+
1,462
2,606
mlrs svg

Armoured fighting vehicles

+
5,739
4,380
mlrs svg

Total artillery

+
3,636
7,468
mlrs svg

Self-propelled artillery

+
899
3,040
mlrs svg

Rocket artillery

+
693
574

Air Forces

small flag UA
small flag KR
mlrs svg

Total aircraft

+
297
1,585
mlrs svg

Fighter

+
57
156
mlrs svg

Multirole

+
0
371
mlrs svg

Attack

+
27
0
mlrs svg

Helicopters

+
115
757
mlrs svg

UCAV (combat drone)

+
12
0

Navy

small flag UA
small flag KR
mlrs svg

Total naval

+
53
195
mlrs svg

Aircraft carriers

+
0
2
mlrs svg

Destroyers

+
0
12
mlrs svg

Frigates

+
1
18
mlrs svg

Corvettes

+
0
11
mlrs svg

Submarines

+
0
22

Nuclear weapons

Ukraine

Although Ukraine has never produced its own nuclear weapon to this day, we should bear in mind that back in the days, Ukraine possessed approximately 5,000 nuclear weapons. This is all due to the fact that before 1991, Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union. However, as a consequence of its dissolution, all the countries that were satellites or were forcefully attached to Soviet Union, received number of warheads. They were once the property of the Soviet Union. Nevertheless, after Ukraine became independent, they received everything that was the part of the USSR, even nuclear warheads. As a result of that, Ukraine became the third largest holder of nuclear weapons in the world.

Ukraine decided to get rid of these weapons quite quickly. Three years later, in 1994 that is, they joined Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. In 1996, all the warheads were moved and disassembled in Russia.

South Korea

Does not have nuclear weapons.

Military service

Ukraine

18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is 18 months

South Korea

20-30 years of age for compulsory military service, with middle school education required; minimum conscript service obligation - 21 months (Army, Marines), 23 months (Navy), 24 months (Air Force); 18-26 years of age for voluntary military service; women, in service since 1950, admitted to 7 service branches, including infantry, but excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps; HIV-positive individuals are exempt from military service.