Japan vs South Korea: SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition)
SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition) over time
- Japan
- South Korea
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 2.79 against 2.5 in Japan, a difference of 0.29.
That makes South Korea's figure about 1.1 times Japan's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 12 shared years of data; in 2014 it was Japan ahead.
Japan ranks 69th and South Korea ranks 66th of 74 countries.
South Korea has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Japan | South Korea | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 2.96 | 3.58 | 0.6258 | South Korea |
| 2020s | 2.64 | 3.11 | 0.476 | South Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition), Japan or South Korea?
- South Korea, at 2.79 against 2.5 in Japan as of 2025.
- What is the difference in sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition) between Japan and South Korea?
- 0.29, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Japan and South Korea?
- 12 years are reported by both, from 2014 to 2025.
- How do Japan and South Korea rank globally for sdg indicator 8.5.2: unemployment rate (current ilo definition)?
- Japan ranks 69th and South Korea ranks 66th of 74 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Labour Organization, published as SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate (current ILO definition - ICLS19) (15+). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
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About this data
Data may differ from nationally reported figures and the Global SDG Indicators Database due to differences in sources and/or reference years. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the Labour Market-related SDG Indicators (ILOSDG) database description.