Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) in South Korea
South Korea: Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) was 173,133 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
173,133
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
39th
of 216 countries
All-time high
173,133
in 2024
All-time low
101,095
in 1971
Years of data
54
1971–2024
Teachers in primary education, both sexes in South Korea, 1971–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 173,133 for teachers in primary education, both sexes in 2024. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 4.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, teachers in primary education, both sexes in South Korea peaked at 173,133 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 101,095, in 1971.
That places South Korea 39th out of 216 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 101,095 | — |
| 1972 | 103,756 | +2.6% |
| 1973 | 105,672 | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 107,259 | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 107,436 | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 108,126 | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 109,530 | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 112,997 | +3.2% |
| 1979 | 115,245 | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 117,290 | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 119,064 | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 122,727 | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 124,572 | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 126,163 | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 126,233 | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 126,785 | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 126,677 | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 130,142 | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 132,527 | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 134,898 | +1.8% |
| 1991 | 136,800 | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 138,207 | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 138,945 | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 139,096 | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 138,369 | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 137,912 | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 122,743 | -11.0% |
| 1998 | 124,412 | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 122,449 | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 125,477 | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 128,018 | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 132,716 | +3.7% |
| 2003 | 139,057 | +4.8% |
| 2004 | 142,153 | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 144,338 | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 147,728 | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 149,945 | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 152,891 | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 155,554 | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 158,056 | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 164,820 | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 165,536 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 165,615 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 165,786 | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 164,415 | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 164,354 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 164,663 | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 165,837 | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 166,710 | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 166,424 | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 167,074 | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 169,496 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 171,784 | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 173,133 | +0.8% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 173,133 is above the median for high income countries, which is 17,584, 9.8× the median. (78 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 173,133 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7,144, 24.2× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 107,902 | 101,095 | 115,245 | 9 |
| 1980s | 125,218 | 117,290 | 132,527 | 10 |
| 1990s | 133,383 | 122,449 | 139,096 | 10 |
| 2000s | 141,788 | 125,477 | 155,554 | 10 |
| 2010s | 164,579 | 158,056 | 166,710 | 10 |
| 2020s | 169,582 | 166,424 | 173,133 | 5 |
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 teachers in primary education, both sexes in South Korea?
- Teachers in primary education, both sexes in South Korea was 173,133 in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 173,133 in 2024.
- What is the lowest teachers in primary education, both sexes recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 101,095 in 1971.
- How does South Korea rank for teachers in primary education, both sexes?
- South Korea ranks 39th out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is teachers in primary education, both sexes rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Teachers in primary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release