Unemployment with basic education, male in South Korea
South Korea: Unemployment with basic education, male was 3.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment with basic education, male in South Korea, 2000–2025
Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of male labor force with basic education.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment with basic education, male in South Korea stood at 3.8%.
The figure is up 5.9% on the previous year and up 16.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment with basic education, male in South Korea peaked at 5.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2.3%, in 2003.
That places South Korea 85th out of 130 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Unemployment with basic education, male in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of male labor force with basic education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5.1% | — |
| 2001 | 4.6% | -10.4% |
| 2002 | 2.9% | -35.7% |
| 2003 | 2.3% | -20.2% |
| 2004 | 2.9% | +22.3% |
| 2005 | 3.2% | +10.5% |
| 2006 | 2.8% | -10.7% |
| 2007 | 2.4% | -14.3% |
| 2008 | 2.8% | +15.6% |
| 2009 | 3.2% | +13.1% |
| 2010 | 3.4% | +6.5% |
| 2011 | 2.9% | -14.0% |
| 2012 | 2.6% | -11.4% |
| 2013 | 2.6% | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 2.7% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 3.3% | +23.1% |
| 2016 | 3.1% | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 3.1% | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 3.5% | +15.7% |
| 2019 | 4.3% | +21.9% |
| 2020 | 4.4% | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 4.2% | -6.7% |
| 2022 | 3.4% | -17.4% |
| 2023 | 3.3% | -3.2% |
| 2024 | 3.6% | +8.1% |
| 2025 | 3.8% | +5.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.2% | 2.3% | 5.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.1% | 2.6% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 3.3% | 4.4% | 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)
- 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)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 64.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment with basic education, male in South Korea?
- Unemployment with basic education, male in South Korea was 3.8% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment with basic education, male recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 5.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest unemployment with basic education, male recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.3% in 2003.
- How does South Korea rank for unemployment with basic education, male?
- South Korea ranks 85th out of 130 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment with basic education, male rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment with basic education, male (% of male labor force with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of the labor force with a basic level of education who are unemployed. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).