Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Korea
Korea: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) was 78.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Korea, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Korea stood at 78.9%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Korea peaked at 78.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 64.2%, in 1993.
Korea ranks 97th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 66.1% | — |
| 1991 | 64.8% | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 64.3% | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 64.2% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 64.6% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 65.2% | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 66.0% | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 67.3% | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 64.5% | -4.2% |
| 1999 | 65.8% | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 68.6% | +4.3% |
| 2001 | 69.4% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 69.3% | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 68.2% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 69.5% | +2.0% |
| 2005 | 70.1% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 70.7% | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 70.5% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 70.8% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 70.4% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 70.3% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 70.4% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 70.6% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 71.3% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 72.0% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 72.3% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 72.9% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 73.6% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 74.4% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 74.3% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 75.0% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 75.7% | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 77.2% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 78.7% | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 78.9% | +0.2% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 78.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 83.3%, 95% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Korea's 78.9% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 83.2%, 95% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 65.3% | 64.2% | 67.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 69.7% | 68.2% | 70.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 71.8% | 70.3% | 74.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 76.6% | 74.3% | 78.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Korea
- 94 Central African Republic 79.1% compare
- 95 Russian Federation 79.0% compare
- 96 Bhutan 79.0% compare
- 98 Poland 78.7% compare
- 99 Thailand 78.6% compare
- 100 Montenegro 78.3% compare
More work & labour data for 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 ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Korea?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) in Korea was 78.9% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 78.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 64.2% in 1993.
- How does Korea rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%)?
- Korea ranks 97th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) (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.