Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) … ages national in South Korea
South Korea: Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) … ages national was 23.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
23.3%
Change on year
down 4.8%
World rank
130th
of 155 countries
All-time high
39.9%
in 1980
All-time low
20.9%
in 2009
Years of data
46
1980–2025
Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) in South Korea, 1980–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) in South Korea stood at 23.3%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.8% on the previous year and down 8.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) in South Korea peaked at 39.9% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 20.9%, in 2009.
South Korea ranks 130th of 155 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 46 years of available data.
Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) … ages national in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 39.9% | — |
| 1981 | 38.3% | -4.1% |
| 1982 | 38.2% | -0.2% |
| 1983 | 36.2% | -5.2% |
| 1984 | 33.2% | -8.3% |
| 1985 | 32.0% | -3.6% |
| 1986 | 32.3% | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 32.7% | +1.5% |
| 1988 | 31.5% | -3.7% |
| 1989 | 32.0% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 32.5% | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 34.6% | +6.3% |
| 1992 | 34.6% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 33.6% | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 34.5% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 34.6% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 33.7% | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 32.2% | -4.6% |
| 1998 | 27.1% | -15.8% |
| 1999 | 27.6% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 27.9% | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 29.0% | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 30.1% | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 29.5% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 29.8% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 28.3% | -4.9% |
| 2006 | 26.1% | -7.9% |
| 2007 | 24.2% | -7.3% |
| 2008 | 22.0% | -9.0% |
| 2009 | 20.9% | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 21.2% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 21.8% | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 22.6% | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 22.7% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 24.3% | +6.9% |
| 2015 | 25.3% | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 25.4% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 25.3% | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 24.5% | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 24.8% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 23.6% | -5.2% |
| 2021 | 25.3% | +7.5% |
| 2022 | 27.0% | +6.5% |
| 2023 | 25.8% | -4.5% |
| 2024 | 24.5% | -5.1% |
| 2025 | 23.3% | -4.8% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 23.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 33.5%, 70% of the median. (67 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 23.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 32.5%, 72% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 34.6% | 31.5% | 39.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 32.5% | 27.1% | 34.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 26.8% | 20.9% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.8% | 21.2% | 25.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.9% | 23.3% | 27.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 127 Syria 24.0% compare
- 128 Cape Verde 23.8% compare
- 129 San Marino 23.5% compare
- 131 Chile 23.0% compare
- 132 Botswana 22.7% compare
- 133 North Macedonia 22.1% compare
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 employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) in South Korea?
- Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) in South Korea was 23.3% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 39.9% in 1980.
- What is the lowest employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.9% in 2009.
- How does South Korea rank for employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%)?
- South Korea ranks 130th out of 155 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed.