Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS in Republic of Korea

Republic of Korea: Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS was 2.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
2.8%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
147th
of 189 countries
All-time high
4.1%
in 2000
All-time low
2.7%
in 2023
Years of data
26
2000–2025

Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS in Republic of Korea, 2000–2025

012342000201220252000: 4.12001: 3.72002: 32003: 3.42004: 3.42005: 3.52006: 3.22007: 32008: 32009: 3.42010: 3.32011: 32012: 2.82013: 3.12014: 3.12015: 3.52016: 3.62017: 3.62018: 3.82019: 3.82020: 3.92021: 3.62022: 2.92023: 2.72024: 2.82025: 2.8

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

In 2025, unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls in Republic of Korea stood at 2.8%.

Compared with earlier readings it 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 Republic of Korea peaked at 4.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2.7%, in 2023.

That places Republic of Korea 147th out of 189 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 in Republic of Korea, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS (%) in Republic of Korea, 2000 to 2025.
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%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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 Republic of Korea

  1. 144 Melanesia 3.0% compare
  2. 145 Israel 2.9% compare
  3. 146 Poland 2.8% compare
  4. 147 Kiribati 2.8% compare
  5. 147 Korea 2.8% compare
  6. 150 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 2.7% compare

See the full ranking of 228 places →

More work & labour data for Republic of Korea

All data for Republic of Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls in Republic of Korea?
Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls in Republic of 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 Republic of Korea?
The highest recorded value was 4.1% in 2000.
What is the lowest unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls recorded in Republic of Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 2.7% in 2023.
How does Republic of Korea rank for unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls?
Republic of Korea ranks 147th out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
Is unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th icls rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
Over the last ten years it is down 21.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Republic of 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.

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Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS in Republic of Korea. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-rate-by-sex-and-age-13th-icls-percent/republic-of-korea/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rate, by sex and age - 13th ICLS (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
228 places, 4,321 data points, 2000–2025
Last refreshed