Annual working hours per worker in South Korea
South Korea: Annual working hours per worker was 1,910 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1,910
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
73rd
of 130 countries
All-time high
3,040
in 1969
All-time low
1,881
in 2022
Years of data
71
1953–2023
Annual working hours per worker in South Korea, 1953–2023
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 1,910 for annual working hours per worker in 2023.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and down 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual working hours per worker in South Korea peaked at 3,040 in 1969 and was at its lowest, 1,881, in 2022.
South Korea ranks 73rd of 130 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 71 years of available data.
Annual working hours per worker in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 2,484 | — |
| 1954 | 2,521 | +1.5% |
| 1955 | 2,557 | +1.5% |
| 1956 | 2,595 | +1.5% |
| 1957 | 2,632 | +1.5% |
| 1958 | 2,671 | +1.5% |
| 1959 | 2,709 | +1.5% |
| 1960 | 2,749 | +1.5% |
| 1961 | 2,789 | +1.5% |
| 1962 | 2,829 | +1.5% |
| 1963 | 2,871 | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 2,780 | -3.2% |
| 1965 | 2,901 | +4.3% |
| 1966 | 2,883 | -0.6% |
| 1967 | 2,919 | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 2,973 | +1.9% |
| 1969 | 3,040 | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 2,919 | -4.0% |
| 1971 | 2,913 | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 2,907 | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 2,901 | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 2,896 | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 2,890 | -0.2% |
| 1976 | 2,884 | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 2,878 | -0.2% |
| 1978 | 2,873 | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 2,867 | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 2,861 | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 2,877 | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 2,890 | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 2,908 | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 2,904 | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 2,879 | -0.9% |
| 1986 | 2,908 | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 2,877 | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 2,831 | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 2,728 | -3.6% |
| 1990 | 2,674 | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 2,658 | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 2,636 | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 2,653 | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 2,637 | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 2,645 | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 2,634 | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 2,579 | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 2,485 | -3.6% |
| 1999 | 2,492 | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 2,509 | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 2,496 | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 2,461 | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 2,421 | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 2,389 | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 2,348 | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 2,344 | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 2,304 | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 2,217 | -3.8% |
| 2009 | 2,167 | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 2,153 | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 2,126 | -1.3% |
| 2012 | 2,110 | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 2,100 | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 2,070 | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 2,077 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 2,062 | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 2,012 | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 1,988 | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 1,963 | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 1,904 | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 1,912 | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 1,881 | -1.6% |
| 2023 | 1,910 | +1.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1,910 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1,668, 1.1× the median. (51 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1,910 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2,169, 88% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2,596 | 2,484 | 2,709 | 7 |
| 1960s | 2,873 | 2,749 | 3,040 | 10 |
| 1970s | 2,893 | 2,867 | 2,919 | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,866 | 2,728 | 2,908 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,610 | 2,485 | 2,674 | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,366 | 2,167 | 2,509 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,066 | 1,963 | 2,153 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,902 | 1,881 | 1,912 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More work & labour data for South Korea
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 16,840 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 63.91 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 29,824 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 2.96 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 0.78 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 97,052 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 65,686 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 62.02 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 0.9719 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -0.1065 % change on previous year (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual working hours per worker in South Korea?
- Annual working hours per worker in South Korea was 1,910 in 2023, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual working hours per worker recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3,040 in 1969.
- What is the lowest annual working hours per worker recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,881 in 2022.
- How does South Korea rank for annual working hours per worker?
- South Korea ranks 73rd out of 130 countries with data for 2023.
- Is annual working hours per worker rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Annual working hours per worker. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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