Unemployment rate for young people in Korea
Korea: Unemployment rate for young people was 6.7 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
6.7
Change on year
up 4.1%
World rank
148th
of 186 countries
All-time high
15.72
in 1998
All-time low
5.41
in 2023
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate for young people in Korea, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Korea recorded 6.7 for unemployment rate for young people in 2025.
That represents a change of up 4.1% on the previous year and down 32.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate for young people in Korea peaked at 15.72 in 1998 and was at its lowest, 5.41, in 2023.
That places Korea 148th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate for young people in Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 7.16 | — |
| 1992 | 7.49 | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 8.79 | +17.4% |
| 1994 | 7.12 | -18.9% |
| 1995 | 6.16 | -13.5% |
| 1996 | 6.01 | -2.5% |
| 1997 | 7.47 | +24.3% |
| 1998 | 15.72 | +110.5% |
| 1999 | 13.9 | -11.6% |
| 2000 | 10 | -28.0% |
| 2001 | 9.36 | -6.4% |
| 2002 | 7.9 | -15.6% |
| 2003 | 9.42 | +19.3% |
| 2004 | 9.8 | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 9.32 | -4.9% |
| 2006 | 8.92 | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 7.85 | -11.9% |
| 2008 | 8.65 | +10.1% |
| 2009 | 9.22 | +6.6% |
| 2010 | 8.54 | -7.4% |
| 2011 | 8.3 | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 7.74 | -6.7% |
| 2013 | 8.94 | +15.6% |
| 2014 | 8.59 | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 9.9 | +15.2% |
| 2016 | 10.14 | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 9.78 | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 10.12 | +3.5% |
| 2019 | 9.83 | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 10.14 | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 8.05 | -20.6% |
| 2022 | 6.64 | -17.6% |
| 2023 | 5.41 | -18.6% |
| 2024 | 6.43 | +19.0% |
| 2025 | 6.7 | +4.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.87 | 6.01 | 15.72 | 9 |
| 2000s | 9.04 | 7.85 | 10 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.19 | 7.74 | 10.14 | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.23 | 5.41 | 10.14 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Korea
- 145 Germany 6.86 compare
- 146 Singapore 6.78 compare
- 147 Macau, China 6.78 compare
- 149 Cameroon 6.55 compare
- 150 United Arab Emirates 6.45 compare
- 151 Burkina Faso 6.44 compare
More work & labour data for Korea
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 63.91 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 29,824 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate -0.1065 % change on previous year (2027)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (2023)
- Criminal penalties or civil remedies sexual harassment in employment 1 (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 64.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 72.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 78.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 56.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate for young people in Korea?
- Unemployment rate for young people in Korea was 6.7 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate for young people recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 15.72 in 1998.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate for young people recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.41 in 2023.
- How does Korea rank for unemployment rate for young people?
- Korea ranks 148th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate for young people rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate for young people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).