Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 was 55.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Republic of Korea, 2000–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Republic of Korea stood at 55.7%. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and up 10.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Republic of Korea peaked at 55.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 47.8%, in 2000.
Republic of Korea ranks 56th of 172 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 47.8% | — |
| 2001 | 48.5% | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 49.2% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 48.0% | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 49.2% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 49.2% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 49.7% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 49.7% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 49.4% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 48.5% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 48.6% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 48.9% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 49.2% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 49.5% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 50.4% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 50.6% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 50.8% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 51.3% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 51.3% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 51.9% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 51.1% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 51.7% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 53.4% | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 54.5% | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 55.2% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 55.7% | +1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 48.9% | 47.8% | 49.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.3% | 48.6% | 51.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.6% | 51.1% | 55.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Republic of Korea
More work & labour data for Republic of 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)
- 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)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 64.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Republic of Korea?
- Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 in Republic of Korea was 55.7% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 55.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.8% in 2000.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024?
- Republic of Korea ranks 56th out of 172 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024 rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment rate, 1980 vs. 2024. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are employed. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.