Labor force participation rate, male (% of male) … male modeled in North Korea
North Korea: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male) … male modeled was 91.2% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in North Korea, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in North Korea is 91.2%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in North Korea peaked at 91.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 88.1%, in 1990.
That places North Korea 3rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male) … male modeled in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 88.1% | — |
| 1991 | 88.1% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 88.1% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 88.1% | -0.0% |
| 1994 | 88.1% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 88.1% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 88.1% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 88.1% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 88.1% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 88.3% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 88.4% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 88.5% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 88.6% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 88.8% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 88.9% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 89.1% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 89.2% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 89.3% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 89.5% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 89.5% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 89.6% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 89.8% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 89.9% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 90.0% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 90.1% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 90.1% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 90.2% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 90.2% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 90.1% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 90.2% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 88.6% | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 88.8% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 90.6% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 90.8% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 91.0% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 91.2% | +0.2% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 91.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 76.8%, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 91.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 78.2%, 1.2× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 88.1% | 88.1% | 88.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 89.0% | 88.4% | 89.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 90.0% | 89.6% | 90.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 90.2% | 88.6% | 91.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More work & labour data for North Korea
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 82.13 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 17,790 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 3,871 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 3.56 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 0.555 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 0.3313 % change on previous year (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 3,086 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.2604 % change on previous year (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 79.21 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 931.04 (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in North Korea?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in North Korea was 91.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 91.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 88.1% in 1990.
- How does North Korea rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64)?
- North Korea ranks 3rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this North 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, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15-64 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.