Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in North Korea
North Korea: Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) was 23.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in services (% of total employment) in North Korea, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
North Korea recorded 23.5% for employment in services (% of total employment) in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in services (% of total employment) in North Korea peaked at 23.7% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 16.6%, in 1991.
North Korea ranks 181st of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 16.6% | — |
| 1992 | 16.6% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 16.8% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 16.9% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 17.1% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 17.2% | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 17.3% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 17.5% | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 17.8% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 18.1% | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 18.4% | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 18.7% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 19.0% | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 19.3% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 19.6% | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 19.9% | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 20.1% | +1.3% |
| 2008 | 20.5% | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 20.7% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 21.0% | +1.3% |
| 2011 | 21.3% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 21.6% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 22.0% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 22.3% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 22.6% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 23.0% | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 23.2% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 23.4% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 23.7% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 22.4% | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 22.2% | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 22.5% | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 22.9% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 23.2% | +1.5% |
| 2025 | 23.5% | +1.4% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 23.5% is below the median for low income countries, which is 31.6%, 75% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 23.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 55.3%, 43% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.1% | 16.6% | 17.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 19.4% | 18.1% | 20.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.4% | 21.0% | 23.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.8% | 22.2% | 23.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 178 Malawi 27.7% compare
- 179 Tanzania 27.3% compare
- 180 Laos 24.0% compare
- 182 Madagascar 20.9% compare
- 183 Mozambique 20.6% compare
- 184 Central African Republic 20.5% compare
More work & labour data for North Korea
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 82.13 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 17,790 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 3,871 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 3.56 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 0.555 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 0.3313 % change on previous year (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 3,086 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.2604 % change on previous year (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 79.21 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 931.04 (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in services (% of total employment) in North Korea?
- Employment in services (% of total employment) in North Korea was 23.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 23.7% in 2019.
- What is the lowest employment in services (% of total employment) recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.6% in 1991.
- How does North Korea rank for employment in services (% of total employment)?
- North Korea ranks 181st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in services (% of total employment) rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in services (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The services sector consists of wholesale and retail trade and restaurants and hotels; transport, storage, and communications; financing, insurance, real estate, and business services; and community, social, and personal services, in accordance with divisions 6-9 (ISIC 2) or categories G-Q (ISIC 3) or categories G-U (ISIC 4).