Korea, Rep. — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for Korea, Rep., 1991–2025.
Unemployment for Korea, Rep. was 2.68% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 6.96% in 1998. The lowest was 2.05% in 1996 (about 1.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.32% per year.
Korea, Rep. ranks 159 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 85%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 3.05%, so Korea, Rep. sits below it. It peaked in 1998 and has fallen 61% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 24%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 18 of 29 economies; Papua New Guinea (2.57%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 167% in 1998. That is 20% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1991 level: doubled by 1998.
World ranking. Slipped: 149th of 187 in 1991 → 137th of 187 in 2000 → 154th of 187 in 2010 → 148th of 187 in 2020 → 154th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.68% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 2.78% | +0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 2.68% | -0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 2.86% | -0.8 pp |
| 2021 | 3.64% | -0.3 pp |
| 2020 | 3.93% | +0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 3.75% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 3.82% | +0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 3.65% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 3.65% | +0.1 pp |
| 2015 | 3.55% | +0.5 pp |
| 2014 | 3.08% | +0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 3.07% | +0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 2.81% | -0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 2.99% | -0.3 pp |
| 2010 | 3.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 3.36% | +0.4 pp |
| 2008 | 2.96% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 3.01% | -0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 3.25% | -0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 3.48% | +0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 3.42% | +0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 3.35% | +0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 3.05% | -0.7 pp |
| 2001 | 3.7% | -0.4 pp |
| 2000 | 4.06% | -2.3 pp |
| 1999 | 6.34% | -0.6 pp |
| 1998 | 6.96% | +4.4 pp |
| 1997 | 2.61% | +0.6 pp |
| 1996 | 2.05% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 2.06% | -0.4 pp |
| 1994 | 2.48% | -0.4 pp |
| 1993 | 2.88% | +0.4 pp |
| 1992 | 2.51% | +0.1 pp |
| 1991 | 2.41% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Korea, Rep.’s Unemployment in 1992?
2.51% (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, Rep.’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +11.5% in total — about 0.3% 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: 2.68%; 2024: 2.78%; 2023: 2.68%; 2022: 2.86%; 2021: 3.64%. 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.