Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in North Korea
North Korea: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 48.2% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Labor force, female in North Korea, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force, female in North Korea stood at 48.2%. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in North Korea peaked at 49.5% in 1997 and was at its lowest, 48.2%, in 2025.
North Korea ranks 40th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in North Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 49.4% | — |
| 1991 | 49.4% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 49.4% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 49.4% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 49.4% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 49.4% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 49.4% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 49.5% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 49.4% | -0.0% |
| 1999 | 49.3% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 49.3% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 49.2% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 49.2% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 49.1% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 49.1% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 49.1% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 49.1% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 49.0% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 49.0% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 49.0% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 48.9% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 48.8% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 48.7% | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 48.7% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 48.6% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 48.5% | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 48.5% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 48.5% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 48.5% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 48.4% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 48.4% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 48.3% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 48.3% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 48.2% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 48.2% | -0.1% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 48.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 47.7%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 48.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 45.8%, 1.1× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 49.4% | 49.3% | 49.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 49.1% | 49.0% | 49.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.7% | 48.5% | 49.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.3% | 48.2% | 48.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
More education data for North Korea
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,021 tertiary education (2022)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in North Korea?
- Labor force, female in North Korea was 48.2% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 49.5% in 1997.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.2% in 2025.
- How does North Korea rank for labor force, female?
- North Korea ranks 40th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, female (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female labor force as a percentage of the total show the extent to which women are active in the labor force. Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.