Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Korea
Korea: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 56.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Korea, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Korea is 56.8%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Korea peaked at 56.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 47.1%, in 1998.
That places Korea 66th out of 187 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.
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | 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 Korea
More work & labour data for 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, female (% of female population ages) in Korea?
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in Korea was 56.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 56.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.1% in 1998.
- How does Korea rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- Korea ranks 66th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The labor force participation rate is the labor force as a percent of the population ages 15 and older. The labor force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed.