Labor force with basic education, male (% of male working-age) in South Korea
South Korea: Labor force with basic education, male (% of male working-age) was 49.3% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force with basic education, male in South Korea, 2000–2025
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of male working-age population with basic education.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force with basic education, male in South Korea is 49.3%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.6% on the previous year and down 17.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force with basic education, male in South Korea peaked at 75.7% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 49.3%, in 2025.
South Korea ranks 87th of 125 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Labor force with basic education, male (% of male working-age) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of male working-age population with basic education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 75.7% | — |
| 2001 | 73.7% | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 73.1% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 70.4% | -3.8% |
| 2004 | 70.1% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 68.1% | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 67.0% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 66.6% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 65.4% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 64.1% | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 63.3% | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 62.6% | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 61.9% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 61.5% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 59.9% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 59.2% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 58.3% | -1.5% |
| 2018 | 57.8% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 56.8% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 56.0% | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 55.4% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 54.4% | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 52.8% | -2.9% |
| 2024 | 51.1% | -3.1% |
| 2025 | 49.3% | -3.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 49.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 49.5%, 100% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 49.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 66.8%, 74% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 69.4% | 64.1% | 75.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.2% | 56.8% | 63.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.2% | 49.3% | 56.0% | 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 with basic education, male in South Korea?
- Labor force with basic education, male in South Korea was 49.3% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force with basic education, male recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 75.7% in 2000.
- What is the lowest labor force with basic education, male recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.3% in 2025.
- How does South Korea rank for labor force with basic education, male?
- South Korea ranks 87th out of 125 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force with basic education, male rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force with basic education, male (% of male working-age population with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The ratio of the labor force with basic education to the working-age population with basic education. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).