Korea

Korea — Unemployment

Name: Unemployment rate (% of labour force)
Creator: World Bank

KR desk: Korea first; United States, Japan, China, Taiwan, euro area, United Kingdom and Australia alongside.

2.68%

−0.10 pp

As of 2025 | % of labour force

Mean: 3.32%
Median: 3.08%
Min: 2.05% 1996
Max: 6.96% 1998

Year	Value
2025	2.68%
2024	2.78%
2023	2.67%
2022	2.86%
2021	3.64%
2020	3.93%
2019	3.75%
2018	3.82%
2017	3.65%
2016	3.65%
2015	3.55%
2014	3.08%
2013	3.07%
2012	2.81%
2011	2.99%
2010	3.32%
2009	3.36%
2008	2.96%
2007	3.01%
2006	3.25%
2005	3.48%
2004	3.42%
2003	3.35%
2002	3.05%

#CountryUnemploymentChangeYear

73Euro area6.28%−0.06 pp2025 109United Kingdom4.75%+0.39 pp2025

113China4.62%+0.03 pp2025

120United States4.20%+0.18 pp2025 121Australia4.09%+0.15 pp2025 137Taiwan3.40%0.00 pp2025 164Korea, Rep.2.68%−0.10 pp2025

170Japan2.45%−0.05 pp2025

What the unemployment rate is

The unemployment rate is the share of the labour force without work but available for and seeking work. World Bank indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS, ILO modelled estimates — a common definition across economies, not a national labour-force survey. Latest: 2.68% in 2025.

A rise is more people unemployed relative to the labour force, not necessarily more people out of work if participation also moves. From 1991 to 2025 (35 years): mean 3.32%, median 3.08%; low 2.05% (1996), high 6.96% (1998).

Source: World Bank Open Data. Licence: CC BY 4.0 (terms).