Unemployed population — Unemployment in Korea
Korea: Unemployed population — Unemployment was 830.02 Persons in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployed population — Unemployment in Korea, 1989–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployed population — unemployment in Korea is 830.02 Persons, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and down 14.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployed population — unemployment in Korea peaked at 1,490 Persons in 1998 and was at its lowest, 430.25 Persons, in 1995.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Unemployed population — Unemployment in Korea, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 462.5 Persons | — |
| 1990 | 454 Persons | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 460.75 Persons | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 490.08 Persons | +6.4% |
| 1993 | 571.08 Persons | +16.5% |
| 1994 | 504.33 Persons | -11.7% |
| 1995 | 430.25 Persons | -14.7% |
| 1996 | 435.25 Persons | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 567.83 Persons | +30.5% |
| 1998 | 1,490 Persons | +162.4% |
| 1999 | 1,426 Persons | -4.3% |
| 2000 | 978.01 Persons | -31.4% |
| 2001 | 897.62 Persons | -8.2% |
| 2002 | 750.83 Persons | -16.4% |
| 2003 | 821.26 Persons | +9.4% |
| 2004 | 861.65 Persons | +4.9% |
| 2005 | 887.27 Persons | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 835.73 Persons | -5.8% |
| 2007 | 790.23 Persons | -5.4% |
| 2008 | 775.79 Persons | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 894.24 Persons | +15.3% |
| 2010 | 923.63 Persons | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 862.54 Persons | -6.6% |
| 2012 | 826.07 Persons | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 808.21 Persons | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 938.48 Persons | +16.1% |
| 2015 | 975.73 Persons | +4.0% |
| 2016 | 1,009 Persons | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 1,023 Persons | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 1,073 Persons | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 1,063 Persons | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 1,108 Persons | +4.2% |
| 2021 | 1,037 Persons | -6.4% |
| 2022 | 832.5 Persons | -19.7% |
| 2023 | 786.7 Persons | -5.5% |
| 2024 | 822.98 Persons | +4.6% |
| 2025 | 830.02 Persons | +0.9% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployed population — Unemployment in Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | +162.4% | 567.83 Persons | 1,490 Persons |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 462.5 Persons | 462.5 Persons | 462.5 Persons | 1 |
| 1990s | 682.94 Persons | 430.25 Persons | 1,490 Persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 849.26 Persons | 750.83 Persons | 978.01 Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 950.35 Persons | 808.21 Persons | 1,073 Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 902.89 Persons | 786.7 Persons | 1,108 Persons | 6 |
Countries ranked near Korea
More work & labour data for Korea
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 32 - Employment by 1,235 Persons (2022)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 32 - Employment by 2,220 Persons (2022)
- Patents - international collaboration in technology development 41,123 Co-inventions (2023)
- Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels 28,769 Persons (2025)
- Average annual hours actually worked per worker — Hours worked 1,833 Hours per year per person (2025)
- Employment by professional status 28,769 Persons (2025)
- Number of employees by activities (ISIC Rev. 4) — Employment 22,318 Persons (2025)
- Incidence of unemployment by duration 58.51 Percentage of population in the same subgroup (2025)
- Annual population and employment, national concept — Total employment 28,576 Persons (2024)
- Monthly unemployment levels 830.02 Persons (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployed population — unemployment in Korea?
- Unemployed population — unemployment in Korea was 830.02 Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest unemployed population — unemployment recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1,490 Persons in 1998.
- What is the lowest unemployed population — unemployment recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 430.25 Persons in 1995.
- How does Korea rank for unemployed population — unemployment?
- Korea ranks 1st out of 3 groups with data for 2025.
- Is unemployed population — unemployment rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Unemployed population — Unemployment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 37 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
The infra-annual dataflow on the unemployed population is a subset of the infra-annual labour statistics database, which contains predominantly monthly and quarterly statistics on the unemployed population by age groups (15+, 15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 15-64 and 15-74 where available) and sex and associated statistical methodological information and associated statistical methodological information, for the OECD member countries and for selected other economies. Chile, Costa Rica, and the United Kingdom publish Labour Force Survey (LFS) data using a rolling quarter methodology. The OECD treats the middle month of the rolling quarter as the reference month. As a result, the publication of monthly LFS data for these countries may be delayed by one month or more relative to the OECD reference month. The unemployed are persons in their working age who, in the reference period, do not have a job; are available for work; and, have taken specific steps to find a job. The infra-annual labour statistics compiled for all OECD member countries, are drawn from Labour Force Surveys based on definition provided by the 19th Conference of Labour Statisticians in 2013. The uniform application of these definitions across all OECD member countries results in estimates that are internationally comparable.