Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 3.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of stood at 3.5%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of peaked at 3.7% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.8%, in 1991.
That places Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 128th 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, total (% of total labor force) in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.8% | — |
| 1992 | 2.9% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 3.0% | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 3.1% | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 3.1% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 3.2% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 3.3% | +3.2% |
| 1998 | 3.5% | +6.4% |
| 1999 | 3.7% | +6.0% |
| 2000 | 3.7% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 3.7% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 3.7% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 3.6% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 3.6% | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 3.5% | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 3.5% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 3.5% | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3.4% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 3.5% | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 3.5% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 3.6% | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 3.5% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 3.6% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 3.5% | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 3.4% | -2.5% |
| 2019 | 3.4% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 3.6% | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 3.7% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 3.5% | -6.4% |
| 2023 | 3.5% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 3.5% | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 3.5% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.2% | 2.8% | 3.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.5% | 3.4% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
More education data for Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), 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)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,021 tertiary education (2022)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2022)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of was 3.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- The highest recorded value was 3.7% in 2021.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.8% in 1991.
- How does Korea, Democratic People's Republic of rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Korea, Democratic People's Republic of ranks 128th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Korea, Democratic People's Republic of?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Korea, Democratic People's Republic of data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.