Growth rate of real gdp per employed person in South Korea
South Korea: Growth rate of real gdp per employed person was 0.66 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Growth rate of real gdp per employed person in South Korea, 2000–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, growth rate of real gdp per employed person in South Korea stood at 0.66.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 53.2% on the previous year and down 52.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, growth rate of real gdp per employed person in South Korea peaked at 5.38 in 2010 and was at its lowest, -0.39, in 2022.
South Korea ranks 143rd of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Growth rate of real gdp per employed person in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 4.55 | — |
| 2001 | 2.95 | -35.2% |
| 2002 | 5.16 | +74.9% |
| 2003 | 3.41 | -33.9% |
| 2004 | 3.16 | -7.3% |
| 2005 | 3.85 | +21.8% |
| 2006 | 4.13 | +7.3% |
| 2007 | 4.66 | +12.8% |
| 2008 | 2.68 | -42.5% |
| 2009 | 1.1 | -59.0% |
| 2010 | 5.38 | +389.1% |
| 2011 | 1.34 | -75.1% |
| 2012 | 0.04 | -97.0% |
| 2013 | 1.05 | +2525.0% |
| 2014 | 0.28 | -73.3% |
| 2015 | 1.39 | +396.4% |
| 2016 | 1.87 | +34.5% |
| 2017 | 1.92 | +2.7% |
| 2018 | 2.68 | +39.6% |
| 2019 | 1.18 | -56.0% |
| 2020 | 0.13 | -89.0% |
| 2021 | 3.48 | +2576.9% |
| 2022 | -0.39 | -111.2% |
| 2023 | 0.21 | -153.8% |
| 2024 | 1.41 | +571.4% |
| 2025 | 0.66 | -53.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.66 is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.52, 43% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.66 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.31, 29% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Growth rate of real gdp per employed person in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +2576.9% | 0.13 | 3.48 |
| 2013 | +2525.0% | 0.04 | 1.05 |
| 2024 | +571.4% | 0.21 | 1.41 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.56 | 1.1 | 5.16 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.71 | 0.04 | 5.38 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9167 | -0.39 | 3.48 | 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 growth rate of real gdp per employed person in South Korea?
- Growth rate of real gdp per employed person in South Korea was 0.66 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest growth rate of real gdp per employed person recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 5.38 in 2010.
- What is the lowest growth rate of real gdp per employed person recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.39 in 2022.
- How does South Korea rank for growth rate of real gdp per employed person?
- South Korea ranks 143rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is growth rate of real gdp per employed person rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Growth rate of real gdp per employed person. 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).