According to the Swedish think tank Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, or SIPRI, which released its “2025 Trends in World Military Expenditure” report on April 26 (local time), worldwide military spending totaled $2.887 trillion (about 4,250 trillion won) last year.
Spending rose 2.9% from a year earlier, slowing from 2024’s 9.7% increase. Still, the share of global gross domestic product edged up to 2.5% from 2.4%. Per-capita military spending reached $352, the highest level since 1990.
By region, Europe led the buildup. Total European military spending climbed 14% to $864 billion, the highest level in SIPRI’s records. SIPRI researcher Jade Giberto Ricard said the trend reflects Europe’s continued push for greater self-reliance as U.S. pressure grows to increase burden-sharing.
The report noted that President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged North Atlantic Treaty Organization members to raise defense budgets, and analysts say European countries expanded spending in response.
Military spending also rose sharply in Asia and Oceania. The region spent $681 billion, up 8.1% from a year earlier, the largest increase since 2009.
South Korea’s defense spending totaled $47.8 billion, up 2.6% year over year on an exchange-rate basis. SIPRI attributed the increase to continued investment in the country’s “three-axis system,” including missile defense, preemptive strike and retaliation capabilities.
Japan’s military spending rose 9.7% to $62.2 billion, and its share of GDP reached 1.4%, the highest since 1958. Taiwan increased spending 14% to $18.2 billion, its biggest rise since 1988; SIPRI said it reflected rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
SIPRI researcher Diego Lopes da Silva said higher spending by U.S. allies in Asia and Oceania reflects growing doubts about whether the United States will maintain its previous level of security support.
China’s military spending rose 7.4% to $336 billion, extending a 31-year run of increases. U.S. military spending, however, fell 7.5% to $954 billion. SIPRI pointed to the halt in new military aid to Ukraine after the launch of the second Trump administration as a key factor.
SIPRI researcher Xiao Liang said, “Given the range of crises today and countries’ long-term military goals, this upward trend in military spending is likely to continue.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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