Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in South Korea
South Korea: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 44.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in South Korea, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force, female in South Korea is 44.4%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in South Korea peaked at 44.4% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 38.7%, in 1993.
That places South Korea 105th 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 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 39.5% | — |
| 1991 | 39.0% | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 38.8% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 38.7% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 38.9% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 39.1% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 39.3% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 39.8% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 38.8% | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 39.3% | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 40.2% | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 40.5% | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 40.5% | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 40.2% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 40.6% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 40.8% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 41.1% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 41.0% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 41.1% | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 40.8% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 40.9% | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 41.0% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 41.1% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 41.3% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 41.6% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 41.9% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 42.1% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 42.3% | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 42.6% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 42.9% | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 42.9% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 43.1% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 43.4% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 43.8% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 44.3% | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 44.4% | +0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 44.4% is below the median for high income countries, which is 46.5%, 95% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 44.4% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 45.8%, 97% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 39.1% | 38.7% | 39.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.7% | 40.2% | 41.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.8% | 40.9% | 42.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.6% | 42.9% | 44.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More education data for South Korea
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 233,046 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 76 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 434,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 412,067 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.66 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 2.51 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -4.15 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0484 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in South Korea?
- Labor force, female in South Korea was 44.4% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 44.4% in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.7% in 1993.
- How does South Korea rank for labor force, female?
- South Korea ranks 105th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.8%. 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 (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.