LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in North Korea

North Korea: LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment was 8.18 in 2027. ▬ Flat

Latest (2027)
8.18
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
120th
of 188 countries
All-time high
8.58
in 2020
All-time low
8.07
in 2023
Years of data
23
2005–2027

LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in North Korea, 2005–2027

024682005201620272005: 8.52006: 8.52007: 8.42008: 8.32009: 8.42010: 8.32011: 8.32012: 8.32013: 8.32014: 8.32015: 8.32016: 8.42017: 8.42018: 8.22019: 8.22020: 8.62021: 8.62022: 8.22023: 8.12024: 8.22025: 8.22026: 8.22027: 8.2

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2027, lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in North Korea stood at 8.18.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 2.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in North Korea peaked at 8.58 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 8.07, in 2023.

That places North Korea 120th out of 188 countries with data for 2027, putting it in the middle of the range.

LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in North Korea, year by year

Annual values for LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment (ILO modelled estimates) in North Korea, 2005 to 2027.
Year Value Change
2005 8.53
2006 8.46 -0.9%
2007 8.42 -0.4%
2008 8.31 -1.3%
2009 8.43 +1.4%
2010 8.29 -1.7%
2011 8.31 +0.2%
2012 8.35 +0.5%
2013 8.34 -0.0%
2014 8.26 -0.9%
2015 8.31 +0.5%
2016 8.39 +1.1%
2017 8.36 -0.4%
2018 8.15 -2.5%
2019 8.16 +0.1%
2020 8.58 +5.2%
2021 8.58 -0.1%
2022 8.17 -4.7%
2023 8.07 -1.2%
2024 8.15 +0.9%
2025 8.16 +0.1%
2026 8.17 +0.1%
2027 8.18 +0.1%

North Korea compared with similar countries

  • North Korea's 8.18 is below the median for low income countries, which is 11.58, 71% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
  • North Korea's 8.18 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 5.83, 1.4× the median. (29 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 8.43 8.31 8.53 5
2010s 8.29 8.15 8.39 10
2020s 8.26 8.07 8.58 8

Countries ranked near North Korea

  1. 117 Austria 8.21 compare
  2. 118 Mauritius 8.2 compare
  3. 119 Lithuania 8.19 compare
  4. 121 Indonesia 8.04 compare
  5. 121 Niger 8.04 compare
  6. 123 Latvia 7.99 compare

See the full ranking of 276 places →

More work & labour data for North Korea

All data for North Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in North Korea?
Lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in North Korea was 8.18 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment recorded in North Korea?
The highest recorded value was 8.58 in 2020.
What is the lowest lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment recorded in North Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 8.07 in 2023.
How does North Korea rank for lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment?
North Korea ranks 120th out of 188 countries with data for 2027.
Is lu2: combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment rising or falling in North Korea?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this North Korea data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment in North Korea. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/lu2-combined-rate-of-time-related-underemployment-and-unemployment-ilo-modelled-estimates-2/korea-dem-people-s-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
LU2: Combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment (ILO modelled estimates)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
276 places, 6,324 data points, 2005–2027
Last refreshed

Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. LU2 represents the share of the labour force that are either in unemployment or time-related underemployment. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.