Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 64.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Republic of Korea, 1960–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Republic of Korea stood at 64.9%. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 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 Republic of Korea peaked at 64.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 37.8%, in 1979.
Republic of Korea ranks 78th of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 50.1% | — |
| 1966 | 51.7% | +3.2% |
| 1970 | 56.2% | +8.8% |
| 1975 | 61.3% | +9.0% |
| 1979 | 37.8% | -38.3% |
| 1980 | 54.8% | +44.9% |
| 1990 | 49.9% | -8.9% |
| 2000 | 61.6% | +23.4% |
| 2001 | 61.9% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 62.4% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 61.9% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 62.7% | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 62.6% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 62.5% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 62.4% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 62.0% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 61.3% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 61.4% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 61.5% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 61.7% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 62.1% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 62.9% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 63.2% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 63.2% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 63.5% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 63.4% | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 63.6% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 62.8% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 63.1% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 64.2% | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 64.6% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 64.8% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 64.9% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 50.9% | 50.1% | 51.7% | 2 |
| 1970s | 51.8% | 37.8% | 61.3% | 3 |
| 1980s | 54.8% | 54.8% | 54.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 49.9% | 49.9% | 49.9% | 1 |
| 2000s | 62.1% | 61.3% | 62.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.6% | 61.4% | 63.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 64.1% | 62.8% | 64.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Republic of Korea
- 76 Seychelles 65.1% compare
- 77 Nicaragua 65.0% compare
- 79 Ghana 64.9% compare
- 80 Guinea-Bissau 64.8% compare
- 81 Bhutan 64.7% compare
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 15+) in Republic of Korea?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in Republic of Korea was 64.9% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 64.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.8% in 1979.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- Republic of Korea ranks 78th out of 199 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) (national 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.