Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) in North Korea
North Korea: Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) was 3.56 in 2027. ▲ Rising
Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) in North Korea, 1991–2027
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2027, unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in North Korea stood at 3.56.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in North Korea peaked at 3.69 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.85, in 1991.
That places North Korea 129th out of 188 countries with data for 2027, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.85 | — |
| 1992 | 2.88 | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 2.98 | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 3.09 | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 3.11 | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 3.15 | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 3.25 | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 3.46 | +6.4% |
| 1999 | 3.67 | +6.0% |
| 2000 | 3.65 | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 3.68 | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 3.64 | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 3.67 | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 3.62 | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 3.58 | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 3.55 | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 3.55 | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 3.48 | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 3.48 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3.42 | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 3.52 | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 3.54 | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 3.57 | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 3.51 | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 3.52 | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 3.57 | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 3.5 | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 3.41 | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 3.44 | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 3.62 | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 3.69 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 3.46 | -6.4% |
| 2023 | 3.46 | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 3.54 | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 3.54 | +0.2% |
| 2026 | 3.55 | +0.2% |
| 2027 | 3.56 | +0.1% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 3.56 is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.48, 79% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 3.56 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.96, 1.2× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.16 | 2.85 | 3.67 | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.59 | 3.48 | 3.68 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.5 | 3.41 | 3.57 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.55 | 3.46 | 3.69 | 8 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More work & labour data for North Korea
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 17,790 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 82.13 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 3,871 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 931.04 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 79.21 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 0.555 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 3,086 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 0.3313 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.2604 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) 81.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in North Korea?
- Unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) in North Korea was 3.56 in 2027, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3.69 in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.85 in 1991.
- How does North Korea rank for unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates)?
- North Korea ranks 129th out of 188 countries with data for 2027.
- Is unemployment rate (ilo modelled estimates) rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) (15+). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 37 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.