Female employment to population ratio in South Korea
South Korea: Female employment to population ratio was 55.74 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female employment to population ratio in South Korea, 2000–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female employment to population ratio in South Korea is 55.74, measured in 2025. 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 to population ratio in South Korea peaked at 55.74 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 47.78, in 2000.
South 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 to population ratio in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 47.78 | — |
| 2001 | 48.51 | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 49.17 | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 48.01 | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 49.17 | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 49.24 | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 49.66 | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 49.72 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 49.43 | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 48.49 | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 48.62 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 48.9 | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 49.16 | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 49.52 | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 50.41 | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 50.62 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 50.79 | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 51.31 | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 51.3 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 51.92 | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 51.06 | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 51.69 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 53.37 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 54.55 | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 55.19 | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 55.74 | +1.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 55.74 is above the median for high income countries, which is 53.4, 1.0× the median. (72 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 55.74 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 51.44, 1.1× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 48.92 | 47.78 | 49.72 | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.26 | 48.62 | 51.92 | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.6 | 51.06 | 55.74 | 6 |
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 female employment to population ratio in South Korea?
- Female employment to population ratio in South Korea was 55.74 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment to population ratio recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 55.74 in 2025.
- What is the lowest female employment to population ratio recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.78 in 2000.
- How does South Korea rank for female employment to population ratio?
- South Korea ranks 56th out of 172 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female employment to population ratio rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment to population ratio. 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).