Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS (%) (age 13th) in South Korea
South Korea: Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS (%) (age 13th) was 2.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS in South Korea, 2000–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls in South Korea is 2.8%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and down 21.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls in South Korea peaked at 4.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2.7%, in 2023.
That places South Korea 149th out of 191 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS (%) (age 13th) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 4.1% | — |
| 2001 | 3.7% | -8.9% |
| 2002 | 3.0% | -17.6% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | +9.8% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 3.5% | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 3.2% | -6.6% |
| 2007 | 3.0% | -7.4% |
| 2008 | 3.0% | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 3.4% | +13.5% |
| 2010 | 3.3% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 3.0% | -9.9% |
| 2012 | 2.8% | -6.0% |
| 2013 | 3.1% | +9.3% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | +15.3% |
| 2016 | 3.6% | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 3.6% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3.8% | +4.7% |
| 2019 | 3.8% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 3.9% | +4.8% |
| 2021 | 3.6% | -7.4% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | -21.4% |
| 2023 | 2.7% | -6.3% |
| 2024 | 2.8% | +3.7% |
| 2025 | 2.8% | +0.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 2.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 57% of the median. (69 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 2.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.3%, 84% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.4% | 3.0% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 2.8% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.1% | 2.7% | 3.9% | 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 unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls in South Korea?
- Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls in South Korea was 2.8% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 4.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.7% in 2023.
- How does South Korea rank for unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls?
- South Korea ranks 149th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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