Unemployment Rate in North Korea increased to 2.90 percent in 2024 from 2.80 percent in 2023. This dataset provides - North Korea Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate) in North Korea was reported at 2.859 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. North Korea - Unemployment, total - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

North Korea: Unemployment rate: The latest value from 2023 is 3 percent, an increase from 2.96 percent in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 6.99 percent, based on data from 178 countries. Historically, the average for North Korea from 1991 to 2023 is 2.9 percent. The minimum value, 2.39 percent, was reached in 1991 while the maximum of 3.17 percent was recorded in 1999.

Unemployment Rate in South Korea remained unchanged at 2.70 percent in May. This dataset provides - South Korea Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The statistic shows the unemployment rate in South Korea from 2020 to 2023, with projections up until 2030. In 2023, the unemployment rate in South Korea was at around 2.71 percent. See the figures for the population of South Korea for comparison. Economy of South Korea South Korea is one of the world’s richest countries as well as a member of the G20, an organization made up of the 20 strongest economies in the world. Due to excessive growth from the 1960s to the 1990s, South Korea established itself as a developed country in the world with a strong economy and high wages. Continued economic growth is attributed to a robust export-oriented economy, which was deemed necessary for the country particularly due to a scarcity in natural resources as well as overpopulation in comparison to available living space. During the global financial crisis, South Korea surprised many economists by maintaining a stable economy and even experiencing economic growth, most notably during the peak of the crisis. Through stimulus packages as well as a high level of consumption, South Korea’s strong export-oriented economy was not affected as negatively as many other developed countries. South Korea’s economy primarily revolves around the production and export of technological goods. Some primary exports of the country include electronics, ships and automobiles. South Korea also has some of the largest shipbuilding companies worldwide, which are highly profitable but also have accumulated a rather large sum of debt over the course of several years.

Graph and download economic data for Youth Unemployment Rate for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (SLUEM1524ZSPRK) from 1991 to 2024 about North Korea, 15 to 24 years, unemployment, and rate.

North Korea: Unemployment rate for males: The latest value from 2023 is 2.87 percent, an increase from 2.82 percent in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 6.42 percent, based on data from 178 countries. Historically, the average for North Korea from 1991 to 2023 is 2.72 percent. The minimum value, 2.16 percent, was reached in 1991 while the maximum of 3.01 percent was recorded in 2021.

According to a survey conducted among South Koreans in 2024, over half of the respondents believed that the unemployment situation would deteriorate following unification with North Korea. Only about 23 percent were optimistic that the employment situation would improve.

Key information about South Korea Unemployment Rate

• South Korea Unemployment Rate dropped to 2.70% in Feb 2025, from the previously reported figure of 2.90% in Jan 2025.
• South Korea Unemployment Rate is updated monthly, available from Jun 1999 to Feb 2025, with an average rate of 3.50%.
• The data reached an all-time high of 7.30% in Jun 1999 and a record low of 2.50% in Sep 2024.
• The data is reported by reported by Statistics Korea.
• In the latest reports, South Korea Population reached 51.75 million people in Dec 2024.

North Korea: Unemployment rate forecast: The latest value from is percent, unavailable from percent in . In comparison, the world average is 0.00 percent, based on data from countries. Historically, the average for North Korea from to is percent. The minimum value, percent, was reached in while the maximum of percent was recorded in .

Historical dataset showing North Korea unemployment rate by year from 1991 to 2024.

In 2024, the unemployment rate in South Korea was approximately *** percent, up from about *** percent in the previous year. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the economy, causing the unemployment rate to reach its highest point since 2000 in 2020.

North Korea KP: Unemployment: Modeled ILO Estimate: Youth: % of Total Labour Force Aged 15-24 data was reported at 11.667 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 11.730 % for 2016. North Korea KP: Unemployment: Modeled ILO Estimate: Youth: % of Total Labour Force Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 11.341 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.259 % in 1992 and a record low of 10.743 % in 1999. North Korea KP: Unemployment: Modeled ILO Estimate: Youth: % of Total Labour Force Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s North Korea – Table KP.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections. National estimates are also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

North Korea KP: Unemployment: Modeled ILO Estimate: % of Total Labour Force data was reported at 4.776 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 4.721 % for 2016. North Korea KP: Unemployment: Modeled ILO Estimate: % of Total Labour Force data is updated yearly, averaging 4.562 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.346 % in 1992 and a record low of 4.421 % in 2001. North Korea KP: Unemployment: Modeled ILO Estimate: % of Total Labour Force data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s North Korea – Table KP.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections. National estimates are also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

In 2024, the unemployment rate in Ulsan, South Korea, was *** percent, the highest across all provinces in the country. This was followed by Daegu and Incheon at *** percent and *** percent, respectively. On the other end of the spectrum, Sejong recorded the lowest unemployment rates at *** percent.

North Korea KP: Unemployment: Modeled ILO Estimate: Male: % of Male Labour Force data was reported at 5.530 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 5.515 % for 2016. North Korea KP: Unemployment: Modeled ILO Estimate: Male: % of Male Labour Force data is updated yearly, averaging 5.355 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2017, with 27 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.967 % in 1992 and a record low of 5.228 % in 2001. North Korea KP: Unemployment: Modeled ILO Estimate: Male: % of Male Labour Force data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s North Korea – Table KP.World Bank: Employment and Unemployment. Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections. National estimates are also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

In March 2025, the unemployment rate in South Korea stood at *** percent. The highest unemployment rate since 2000 was recorded in January 2021, at *** percent.

Historical dataset showing North Korea youth unemployment rate by year from 1991 to 2024.

The unemployment rate in South Korea stands at 3.1 percent according to the latest data from . That reading shows a decrease from the level of 3.2 percent in the previous month and an increase from the level of 3 percent in the same month of the previous year. The unemployment rate data in...

In 2024, the age group of 20 to 29 years old experienced the highest unemployment rate in South Korea. The average unemployment rate stood at *** percent. Unemployment in South Korea The unemployment rate refers to the percentage of the economically active population not in employment but actively looking for a job. This does not include the economically inactive population, such as students, pensioners, homemakers, or discouraged workers. With a population of over ** million, South Korea has grown to become one of the world's largest economies, but struggles with increasing unemployment, especially among the youth and elderly. The unemployment situation of young people in South Korea has deteriorated sharply in recent years, while the number of economically active youth has declined steadily over the past decade. On average, young people took more than 11 months to find their first job. Reasons for youth unemployment This situation can be attributed to various social, demographic, and labor market-specific factors within the country. Despite the high level of education among youth, more and more companies are demanding concrete work experience from applicants, which is often difficult to acquire within the existing South Korean education system. It should also not be neglected that the retirement age was raised from ** to ** in 2016, but more young people, especially millennials, entered the labor market during this time. The dual labor market structure in South Korea, characterized by existing wage gaps between large and small companies, as well as between regular and irregular jobs, is another factor contributing to youth unemployment. While fewer and fewer young people are employed as regular workers, young graduates tend to prefer positions in large companies that offer permanent employment contracts.