Labor force participation rate by age in South Korea
South Korea: Labor force participation rate by age was 25.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate by age in South Korea, 1990–2024
Source: International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, labor force participation rate by age in South Korea stood at 25.8%.
The figure is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate by age in South Korea peaked at 36.8% in 1992 and was at its lowest, 22.6%, in 2009.
That places South Korea 164th out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate by age in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 34.3% | — |
| 1991 | 36.6% | +6.8% |
| 1992 | 36.8% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 36.2% | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 36.6% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 36.3% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 35.3% | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 34.2% | -3.2% |
| 1998 | 31.7% | -7.3% |
| 1999 | 31.7% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 30.5% | -3.6% |
| 2001 | 31.4% | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 32.1% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 32.0% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 32.5% | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 30.6% | -5.8% |
| 2006 | 28.0% | -8.3% |
| 2007 | 25.8% | -8.1% |
| 2008 | 23.5% | -8.6% |
| 2009 | 22.6% | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 22.7% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 23.3% | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 24.1% | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 24.6% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 26.3% | +6.8% |
| 2015 | 27.8% | +5.8% |
| 2016 | 28.0% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 27.7% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 26.9% | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 27.3% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 26.0% | -4.9% |
| 2021 | 27.2% | +4.8% |
| 2022 | 28.6% | +5.0% |
| 2023 | 26.9% | -5.7% |
| 2024 | 25.8% | -4.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 25.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 40.6%, 64% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 25.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 39.8%, 65% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 35.0% | 31.7% | 36.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.9% | 22.6% | 32.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 25.9% | 22.7% | 28.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.9% | 25.8% | 28.6% | 5 |
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 labor force participation rate by age in South Korea?
- Labor force participation rate by age in South Korea was 25.8% in 2024, according to International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate by age recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 36.8% in 1992.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate by age recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.6% in 2009.
- How does South Korea rank for labor force participation rate by age?
- South Korea ranks 164th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is labor force participation rate by age rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate by age. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population aged 15-24 who are economically active (employed or unemployed).