China vs South Korea: Labor force participation rate
China
64.6%
in 2025
South Korea
64.4%
in 2025
China rank
68th
South Korea rank
71st
Labor force participation rate over time
- China
- South Korea
How they compare
China currently reports 64.6% against 64.4% in South Korea, a difference of 0.2%.
Across all 36 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
China ranks 68th and South Korea ranks 71st of 186 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | South Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 77.0% | 60.7% | 16.3% | China |
| 2000s | 72.8% | 61.2% | 11.6% | China |
| 2010s | 69.4% | 61.9% | 7.4% | China |
| 2020s | 65.7% | 63.6% | 2.0% | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher labor force participation rate, China or South Korea?
- China, at 64.6% against 64.4% in South Korea as of 2025.
- What is the difference in labor force participation rate between China and South Korea?
- 0.2%, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and South Korea?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do China and South Korea rank globally for labor force participation rate?
- China ranks 68th and South Korea ranks 71st of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Labor force participation rate. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).