World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Labour · East Asia & Pacific · High income

South Korea: the labour market

Labour force is 29.9m (2025), 23rd of 187 in the world and 7th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific. Participation rate is 64.4% (2025), 71st of 187 in the world and 15th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific. Women's participation is 56.8% (2025), 66th of 187 in the world and 13th of 29 in East Asia & Pacific.

Labour force29.9m2025 · world 23/187 · region 7/29Participation rate64.4%2025 · world 71/187 · region 15/29Women's participation56.8%2025 · world 66/187 · region 13/29Employment rate62.6%2025 · world 54/187 · region 14/29
Labour force
South Korea
20.0m22.5m25.0m27.5m30.0m1995200020052010201520202025South Korea29.9m
Participation rate
South KoreaEast Asia & PacificHigh incomeWorld
55%60%65%70%75%1995200020052010201520202025South Korea64.4%East Asia & PacificHigh incomeWorld
12 indicators

Labour: South Korea in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within East Asia & Pacific; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total29.9m202523/1877/2922.6m25.0m28.4m+8.5%since 20151.3bn734m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+64.4%202571/18715/2960.8%60.3%62.3%+1.8 ppsince 201565.2%61.0%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+56.8%202566/18713/2949.4%49.8%53.1%+4.4 ppsince 201558.1%54.3%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)62.6%202554/18714/2958.3%58.3%59.8%+2.3 ppsince 201562.7%58.3%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)2.7%2025159/18718/294.1%3.3%3.9%−0.9 ppsince 20153.8%4.4%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)2.7%2025159/18717/293.2%2.8%4.0%−0.8 ppsince 20153.4%4.6%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)6.7%2025149/18720/2910.0%8.5%10.1%−3.2 ppsince 201512.5%11.5%13.4%
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment77.3%202566/18711/2967.3%72.4%75.6%+3.2 ppsince 201561.0%88.9%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)17.7%2025126/18719/2925.9%21.2%19.3%−2.0 ppsince 201535.3%8.0%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment5.1%2025132/18720/2910.4%6.2%5.4%±0.0 ppsince 201521.7%2.9%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment23.4%202552/1875/2929.1%25.8%24.6%−2.0 ppsince 201528.5%22.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment71.5%202554/18711/2960.5%68.1%70.0%+2.0 ppsince 201549.9%74.9%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

No rated indicator got worse over the decade.

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

South Korea and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with South Korea. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorSouth KoreaChinaJapanNorth Korea
Labour force29.9m2025768m202569.5m202517.7m2025
Participation rate64.4%202564.6%202563.4%202582.2%2025
Women's participation56.8%202559.1%202555.9%202577.7%2025
Employment rate62.6%202561.6%202561.9%202579.2%2025
Unemployment2.7%20254.6%20252.5%20253.5%2025
Female unemployment2.7%20254.0%20252.3%20253.7%2025
Youth unemployment6.7%202515.8%20253.9%20257.9%2025
Wage workers77.3%202562.3%202590.9%202537.9%2025
Vulnerable employment17.7%202533.4%20257.5%202556.8%2025
China: labourJapan: labourNorth Korea: labour
Labour in East Asia & Pacificall 37 economies rankedLabour: high-income countries86 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesSouth Korea: all key statisticscountry profile