Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population) … 15+ in South Korea
South Korea: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population) … 15+ was 64.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in South Korea, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in South Korea stood at 64.4%.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 2.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in South Korea peaked at 64.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 59.4%, in 1990.
That places South Korea 71st 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, total (% of total population) … 15+ in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 59.4% | — |
| 1991 | 60.1% | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 60.4% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 60.4% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 61.1% | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 61.5% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 61.7% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 62.0% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 60.2% | -2.9% |
| 1999 | 60.2% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 60.8% | +1.0% |
| 2001 | 61.1% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 61.6% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 61.1% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 61.8% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 61.6% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 61.5% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 61.3% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 60.8% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 60.2% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 60.3% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 60.6% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 60.9% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 61.4% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 62.3% | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 62.6% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 62.6% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 62.9% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 62.8% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 63.0% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 62.3% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 62.5% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 63.8% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 64.3% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 64.5% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 64.4% | -0.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 64.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 62.3%, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 64.4% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 64.4%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 60.7% | 59.4% | 62.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 61.2% | 60.2% | 61.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.9% | 60.3% | 63.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 63.6% | 62.3% | 64.5% | 6 |
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, total (% of total population ages 15+) in South Korea?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in South Korea was 64.4% 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 15+) recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 64.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 59.4% in 1990.
- How does South Korea rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- South Korea ranks 71st out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South 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+) (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 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.