South Korea's national expenditure on environmental protection is forecasted to gradually decline as a percentage of GDP from 1.9% in 2024 to 1.81% by 2028. This steady reduction indicates a modest annual decrease. Analyzing the past two years, the expenditure was at 1.92% in 2022 and 1.91% in 2023, showing a slight downward trend of approximately 0.52% year-on-year.

Over the last five years, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for environmental protection expenditure has been negative, reflecting an average yearly decrease of about 0.65%. This trend suggests a reinforcing pattern of diminishing focus on environmental protection relative to the national GDP.

Future trends to watch for:

Potential policy shifts or new government initiatives that might alter the current spending trajectory.
The impact of global environmental agreements on national budgets.
Economic growth rates that might influence relative environmental protection spending.
Technological innovations that could potentially reduce costs and thus impact the percentage of GDP allocated.