Unemployment with advanced education in Republic of Korea
Republic of Korea: Unemployment with advanced education was 2.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment with advanced education in Republic of Korea, 2000–2025
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total labor force with advanced education.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment with advanced education in Republic of Korea stood at 2.7%. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 32.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment with advanced education in Republic of Korea peaked at 4.3% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 2.7%, in 2025.
Republic of Korea ranks 98th of 130 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 26 years of available data.
Unemployment with advanced education in Republic of Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force with advanced education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.8% | — |
| 2001 | 3.7% | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 3.3% | -10.2% |
| 2003 | 4.2% | +25.1% |
| 2004 | 4.0% | -4.7% |
| 2005 | 3.7% | -5.5% |
| 2006 | 3.7% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 3.5% | -4.8% |
| 2008 | 3.3% | -6.0% |
| 2009 | 3.7% | +11.9% |
| 2010 | 3.7% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 3.3% | -10.9% |
| 2012 | 3.1% | -5.8% |
| 2013 | 3.7% | +17.4% |
| 2014 | 3.6% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 4.1% | +13.9% |
| 2016 | 4.2% | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 4.3% | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 4.1% | -4.7% |
| 2019 | 3.9% | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 3.9% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 3.6% | -7.6% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | -20.9% |
| 2023 | 2.7% | -4.4% |
| 2024 | 2.7% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 2.7% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.7% | 3.3% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.8% | 3.1% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.1% | 2.7% | 3.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Republic of Korea
- 95 Hong Kong, China 2.9% compare
- 96 Trinidad and Tobago 2.8% compare
- 97 Paraguay 2.8% compare
- 99 Norway 2.7% compare
- 100 United Arab Emirates 2.7% compare
- 101 Netherlands 2.5% compare
More work & labour data for Republic of 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)
- 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)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment with advanced education in Republic of Korea?
- Unemployment with advanced education in Republic of Korea was 2.7% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment with advanced education recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 4.3% in 2017.
- What is the lowest unemployment with advanced education recorded in Republic of Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.7% in 2025.
- How does Republic of Korea rank for unemployment with advanced education?
- Republic of Korea ranks 98th out of 130 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment with advanced education rising or falling in Republic of Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Republic of Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment with advanced education (% of total labor force with advanced education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The percentage of the labor force with an advanced level of education who are unemployed. Advanced education comprises short-cycle tertiary education, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent education level, a master’s degree or equivalent education level, or doctoral degree or equivalent education level according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).