Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in North Korea
North Korea: Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) was 7.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in North Korea, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
North Korea recorded 7.2% for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in North Korea peaked at 7.6% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 4.7%, in 1991.
That places North Korea 140th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 4.7% | — |
| 1992 | 4.9% | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 5.2% | +6.0% |
| 1994 | 5.4% | +5.3% |
| 1995 | 5.5% | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 5.7% | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 6.0% | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 6.6% | +10.8% |
| 1999 | 7.1% | +7.3% |
| 2000 | 7.1% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 7.1% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 7.1% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 7.1% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 6.9% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 6.8% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 6.9% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 6.8% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 6.8% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 6.8% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 6.7% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 6.9% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 7.0% | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 7.0% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 7.1% | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 7.1% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 7.3% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 7.0% | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 7.0% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 6.8% | -2.7% |
| 2020 | 7.6% | +11.7% |
| 2021 | 7.4% | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 6.9% | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 6.9% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 7.1% | +1.9% |
| 2025 | 7.2% | +1.2% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 7.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.2%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 7.2% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 8.8%, 82% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5.7% | 4.7% | 7.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 6.9% | 6.8% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.0% | 6.7% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.2% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 137 Uzbekistan 7.5% compare
- 138 Russia 7.4% compare
- 139 Trinidad and Tobago 7.4% compare
- 141 Saudi Arabia 7.0% compare
- 142 South Korea 6.7% compare
- 143 Vietnam 6.7% compare
More work & labour data for North Korea
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 82.13 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 17,790 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 3,871 (2027)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 3.56 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 0.555 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 0.3313 % change on previous year (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 3,086 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.2604 % change on previous year (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 79.21 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 931.04 (2027)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in North Korea?
- Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) in North Korea was 7.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 7.6% in 2020.
- What is the lowest unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.7% in 1991.
- How does North Korea rank for unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24)?
- North Korea ranks 140th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, youth male (% of male labor force ages 15-24) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.