Korea, Dem. People's Rep. — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Korea, Dem. People's Rep., 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Korea, Dem. People's Rep. was 3.54% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 3.69% in 2021. The lowest was 2.85% in 1991 (about 1.2× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.65% per year.
Korea, Dem. People's Rep. ranks 128 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 68%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 3.05%, so Korea, Dem. People's Rep. sits above it. It peaked in 2021 and has fallen 4% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 1%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 13 of 29 economies; Indonesia (3.24%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 6% in 1998.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 107 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 137th of 187 in 1991 → 145th of 187 in 2000 → 152nd of 187 in 2010 → 153rd of 187 in 2020 → 123rd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3.55% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 3.54% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 3.46% | +0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 3.46% | -0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 3.69% | +0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 3.62% | +0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 3.44% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 3.41% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 3.5% | -0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 3.57% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 3.52% | +0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 3.51% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 3.57% | +0.0 pp |
| 2012 | 3.54% | +0.0 pp |
| 2011 | 3.52% | +0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 3.42% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 3.48% | +0.0 pp |
| 2008 | 3.48% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 3.55% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 3.55% | -0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 3.58% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 3.62% | -0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 3.67% | +0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 3.64% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 3.68% | +0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 3.65% | -0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 3.67% | +0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 3.46% | +0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 3.25% | +0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 3.15% | +0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 3.11% | +0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 3.09% | +0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 2.98% | +0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 2.88% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 2.85% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Korea, Dem. People's Rep.’s Unemployment in 1992?
2.88% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Korea, Dem. People's Rep.’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +24.6% in total — about 0.6% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 3.55%; 2024: 3.54%; 2023: 3.46%; 2022: 3.46%; 2021: 3.69%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.