Workers in the reference group in South Korea
South Korea: Workers in the reference group was 21,421 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Workers in the reference group in South Korea, 1999–2024
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for workers in the reference group in South Korea is 21,421, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.8% on the previous year and up 25.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, workers in the reference group in South Korea peaked at 21,421 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7,441, in 1999.
South Korea ranks 7th of 76 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Workers in the reference group in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 7,441 | — |
| 2000 | 9,486 | +27.5% |
| 2001 | 10,581 | +11.6% |
| 2002 | 10,571 | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 10,599 | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 10,473 | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 11,059 | +5.6% |
| 2006 | 11,689 | +5.7% |
| 2007 | 12,529 | +7.2% |
| 2008 | 13,490 | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 13,885 | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 14,199 | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 14,362 | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 15,548 | +8.3% |
| 2013 | 15,449 | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 17,062 | +10.4% |
| 2015 | 17,969 | +5.3% |
| 2018 | 19,073 | +6.1% |
| 2019 | 18,725 | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 18,974 | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 19,379 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 20,174 | +4.1% |
| 2023 | 20,637 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 21,421 | +3.8% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 21,421 is above the median for high income countries, which is 2,993, 7.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 21,421 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7,234, 3.0× the median. (10 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Workers in the reference group in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +27.5% | 7,441 | 9,486 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7,441 | 7,441 | 7,441 | 1 |
| 2000s | 11,436 | 9,486 | 13,885 | 10 |
| 2010s | 16,549 | 14,199 | 19,073 | 8 |
| 2020s | 20,117 | 18,974 | 21,421 | 5 |
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 workers in the reference group in South Korea?
- Workers in the reference group in South Korea was 21,421 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest workers in the reference group recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 21,421 in 2024.
- What is the lowest workers in the reference group recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 7,441 in 1999.
- How does South Korea rank for workers in the reference group?
- South Korea ranks 7th out of 76 countries with data for 2024.
- Is workers in the reference group rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Workers in the reference group. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
The workers in the reference group are the workers in the particular group under consideration and covered by the source of the statistics on occupational injuries. In the case of a notification system, it is the number of workers in, for example, the establishments or selected economic activities covered by the system as set out in the relevant legislation or regulations. Data disaggregated by economic activity are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) available for that year. Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISIC. For more information, refer to the Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSH) database description.