Unemployment with intermediate education, male (% of male labor force) in South Korea
South Korea: Unemployment with intermediate education, male (% of male labor force) was 2.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment with intermediate 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 intermediate education.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 2.9% for unemployment with intermediate education, male in 2025.
That represents a change of up 2.2% on the previous year and down 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment with intermediate education, male in South Korea peaked at 5.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2.5%, in 2023.
South Korea ranks 105th of 126 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 intermediate education, male (% of male labor force) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of male labor force with intermediate education | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5.2% | — |
| 2001 | 4.6% | -11.8% |
| 2002 | 3.8% | -16.6% |
| 2003 | 3.8% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 4.0% | +4.9% |
| 2005 | 4.2% | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 4.1% | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 3.7% | -8.6% |
| 2008 | 3.7% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 4.3% | +16.9% |
| 2010 | 3.8% | -10.8% |
| 2011 | 3.4% | -11.7% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | -5.6% |
| 2013 | 3.0% | -6.6% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 3.4% | +12.5% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | -4.9% |
| 2018 | 4.1% | +22.9% |
| 2019 | 4.0% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 4.2% | +5.6% |
| 2021 | 3.6% | -13.9% |
| 2022 | 2.9% | -20.7% |
| 2023 | 2.5% | -13.2% |
| 2024 | 2.9% | +14.4% |
| 2025 | 2.9% | +2.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 2.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.3%, 67% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 2.9% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.0%, 73% of the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.1% | 3.7% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.5% | 3.0% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2% | 2.5% | 4.2% | 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)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 2.96 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 0.78 (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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment with intermediate education, male in South Korea?
- Unemployment with intermediate education, male in South Korea was 2.9% in 2025, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment with intermediate education, male recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 5.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest unemployment with intermediate education, male recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.5% in 2023.
- How does South Korea rank for unemployment with intermediate education, male?
- South Korea ranks 105th out of 126 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment with intermediate education, male rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 intermediate education, male (% of male labor force with intermediate education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of the labor force with an intermediate level of education who are unemployed. Intermediate education comprises upper secondary or post-secondary non tertiary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).