Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) was 71.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Republic of Korea, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Republic of Korea recorded 71.2% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 4.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Republic of Korea peaked at 71.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 61.7%, in 1990.
Republic of Korea ranks 78th of 187 countries on this measure, 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, total (% of total population ages) in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 61.7% | — |
| 1991 | 62.5% | +1.3% |
| 1992 | 62.8% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 63.0% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 63.8% | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 64.2% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 64.4% | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 64.8% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 63.1% | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 63.1% | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 63.6% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 64.1% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 64.8% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 64.6% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 65.4% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 65.3% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 65.3% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 65.2% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 64.9% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 64.4% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 64.7% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 65.2% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 65.5% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 66.1% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 67.2% | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 67.9% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 68.1% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 68.6% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 68.6% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 68.8% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 67.9% | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 68.4% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 70.0% | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 70.7% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 71.0% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 71.2% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 63.4% | 61.7% | 64.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.8% | 63.6% | 65.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.1% | 64.7% | 68.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.8% | 67.9% | 71.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Republic of Korea
More work & labour data for Republic of 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, total (% of total population ages) in Republic of Korea?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) in Republic of Korea was 71.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 71.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 61.7% in 1990.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages)?
- Republic of Korea ranks 78th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Republic of 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, total (% of total 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.