Labor force with intermediate education, male (% of male working-age) in South Korea
South Korea: Labor force with intermediate education, male (% of male working-age) was 68.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force with intermediate 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 intermediate education.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force with intermediate education, male in South Korea is 68.7%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force with intermediate education, male in South Korea peaked at 77.5% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 68.7%, in 2025.
South Korea ranks 89th 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 intermediate education, male (% of male working-age) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of male working-age population with intermediate education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 75.9% | — |
| 2001 | 76.3% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 77.5% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 76.1% | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 75.9% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 75.5% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 75.2% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 74.7% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 73.3% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 71.9% | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 71.3% | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 71.0% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 71.0% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 71.5% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 72.4% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 72.1% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 71.8% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 72.0% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 71.8% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 71.7% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 70.6% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 69.9% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 71.3% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 70.8% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 69.8% | -1.4% |
| 2025 | 68.7% | -1.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 68.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 71.5%, 96% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 68.7% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 76.4%, 90% of the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 75.2% | 71.9% | 77.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.7% | 71.0% | 72.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.2% | 68.7% | 71.3% | 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 intermediate education, male in South Korea?
- Labor force with intermediate education, male in South Korea was 68.7% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force with intermediate education, male recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 77.5% in 2002.
- What is the lowest labor force with intermediate education, male recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 68.7% in 2025.
- How does South Korea rank for labor force with intermediate education, male?
- South Korea ranks 89th out of 125 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force with intermediate education, male rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. 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 intermediate education, male (% of male working-age population with intermediate education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The ratio of the labor force with intermediate education to the working-age population with intermediate education. Intermediate education comprises upper secondary or post-secondary non tertiary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).