South Korea ranked fifth in the world in terms of military strength, while North Korea stood at 36th, an annual military power index showed.

South Korea had a firepower score of 0.1416 to rank fifth out of 145 countries, according to Global Firepower 2024. Its standing rose by one notch from a year earlier.

The index is calculated based on more than 60 factors, with categories ranging from military might and financial standing to logistical capability and geography. The lower the index is, the stronger a country’s military is.

With a firepower score of 0.5313, North Korea ranked 36th in the world, down from 34th the previous year, according to the index.

The United States topped the list, followed by Russia, China and India. (Yonhap)