Female labor force participation rates by family benefits public spending in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Female labor force participation rates by family benefits public spending was 56.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rates by family benefits public spending in Republic of Korea, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Republic of Korea recorded 56.8% for female labor force participation rates by family benefits public spending in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rates by family benefits public spending in Republic of Korea peaked at 56.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 47.1%, in 1998.
That places Republic of Korea 66th out of 185 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rates by family benefits public spending in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 47.2% | — |
| 1991 | 47.2% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 47.2% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 47.2% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 47.9% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 48.4% | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 48.9% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 49.8% | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 47.1% | -5.4% |
| 1999 | 47.7% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 49.4% | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 50.0% | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 50.4% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 49.5% | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 50.6% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 50.7% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 50.8% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 50.6% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 50.4% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 49.6% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 49.8% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 50.0% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 50.3% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 50.8% | +1.0% |
| 2014 | 51.8% | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 52.4% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 52.6% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 53.1% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 53.2% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 53.8% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 53.1% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 53.6% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 55.0% | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 56.0% | +1.8% |
| 2024 | 56.8% | +1.4% |
| 2025 | 56.8% | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 47.9% | 47.1% | 49.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.2% | 49.4% | 50.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.8% | 49.8% | 53.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.2% | 53.1% | 56.8% | 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)
- 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)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female labor force participation rates by family benefits public spending in Republic of Korea?
- Female labor force participation rates by family benefits public spending in Republic of Korea was 56.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rates by family benefits public spending recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 56.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rates by family benefits public spending recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.1% in 1998.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for female labor force participation rates by family benefits public spending?
- Republic of Korea ranks 66th out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rates by family benefits public spending rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female labor force participation rates by family benefits public spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).