Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Korea
Korea: Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) was 77.6% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Korea, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Korea recorded 77.6% for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Korea peaked at 77.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 73.1%, in 1990.
That places Korea 97th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 73.1% | — |
| 1991 | 74.6% | +2.1% |
| 1992 | 75.2% | +0.8% |
| 1993 | 75.3% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 76.1% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 76.2% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 76.2% | -0.0% |
| 1997 | 76.0% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 75.3% | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 74.7% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 74.1% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 74.3% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 75.0% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 75.3% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 75.6% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 75.2% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 74.9% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 74.8% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 74.3% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 74.0% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 74.2% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 74.8% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 75.1% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 75.7% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 76.7% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 77.0% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 77.2% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 77.5% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 77.1% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 77.0% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 76.1% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 76.3% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 77.6% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 77.7% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 77.5% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 77.6% | +0.1% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 77.6% is below the median for high income countries, which is 80.2%, 97% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Korea's 77.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 78.2%, 99% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 75.3% | 73.1% | 76.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 74.8% | 74.0% | 75.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.2% | 74.2% | 77.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 77.1% | 76.1% | 77.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Korea
- 94 Angola 78.2% compare
- 95 Brunei Darussalam 77.9% compare
- 96 Luxembourg 77.9% compare
- 98 Trinidad and Tobago 77.5% compare
- 99 Greece 77.3% compare
- 100 Burundi 77.3% compare
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, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Korea?
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) in Korea was 77.6% 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 Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 77.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 73.1% in 1990.
- How does Korea rank for labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64)?
- Korea ranks 97th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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, male (% of male population ages 15-64) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.