South Korea unemployment rate by year, 1991 to 2025
South Korea: 2.68% in 2025. Unemployment rate peaked at 6.96% in 1998 in this 1991–2025 series.
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What the data shows
- South Korea: 2.41% in 1991, 2.68% in 2025. It peaked at 6.96% in 1998.
- Guinea-Bissau: 3.01% in 1991, 2.67% in 2025. It peaked at 3.36% in 2000.
- Mexico: 3.15% in 1991, 2.67% in 2025. It peaked at 7.09% in 1995.
- Senegal: 2.86% in 1991, 2.73% in 2025. It peaked at 6.76% in 2015.
About this chart
South Korea's modeled unemployment rate reached a displayed-period high of 6.96% in 1998. By 2025, the estimate was 2.68%, compared with 2.41% at the start of the series in 1991. The displayed annual series runs from 1991 through 2025; its lowest value was 2.05% in 1996. The preceding annual observation, for 2024, was 2.78%.
Unemployment is the share of the labor force without work but available for and seeking employment. These are modeled ILO estimates, so they can differ from a country's headline national series and do not measure everyone without a job. In 2025, the comparison lines show Guinea-Bissau (2.67%), Mexico (2.67%) and Senegal (2.73%). These peers have the closest latest values among reporting countries with over one million people and a continuous common history; they are not selected by geography.
The data
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS), % of the labor force. Retrieved November 5, 2026. Unemployment is the share of the labor force without work but available for and seeking employment. These are modeled ILO estimates, so they can differ from a country's headline national series and do not measure everyone without a job. Peers are selected by proximity to the country's latest value among countries with over one million people and a continuous common series.
| Date | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 🇸🇳 Senegal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.41% | 3.01% | 3.15% | 2.86% |
| 1992 | 2.51% | 3.08% | 3.23% | 2.93% |
| 1993 | 2.88% | 3.14% | 3.37% | 2.88% |
| 1994 | 2.48% | 3.17% | 4.44% | 2.95% |
| 1995 | 2.06% | 3.13% | 7.09% | 2.85% |
| 1996 | 2.05% | 2.99% | 5.46% | 2.83% |
| 1997 | 2.61% | 2.95% | 4.24% | 2.76% |
| 1998 | 6.96% | 3.35% | 3.73% | 2.75% |
| 1999 | 6.34% | 3.27% | 2.60% | 2.65% |
| 2000 | 4.06% | 3.36% | 2.65% | 2.64% |
| 2001 | 3.70% | 2.96% | 2.63% | 2.67% |
| 2002 | 3.05% | 3.15% | 3.00% | 2.82% |
| 2003 | 3.35% | 3.17% | 3.46% | 2.78% |
| 2004 | 3.42% | 3.23% | 3.94% | 2.77% |
| 2005 | 3.48% | 3.18% | 3.56% | 2.68% |
| 2006 | 3.25% | 3.14% | 3.57% | 2.75% |
| 2007 | 3.01% | 3.12% | 3.63% | 2.80% |
| 2008 | 2.96% | 3.16% | 3.87% | 2.82% |
| 2009 | 3.36% | 3.16% | 5.36% | 2.81% |
| 2010 | 3.32% | 3.12% | 5.30% | 2.79% |
| 2011 | 2.99% | 3.07% | 5.17% | 2.85% |
| 2012 | 2.81% | 3.13% | 4.89% | 3.90% |
| 2013 | 3.07% | 3.17% | 4.92% | 5.01% |
| 2014 | 3.08% | 3.29% | 4.82% | 5.85% |
| 2015 | 3.55% | 3.17% | 4.31% | 6.76% |
| 2016 | 3.65% | 3.14% | 3.85% | 4.46% |
| 2017 | 3.65% | 3.09% | 3.42% | 4.08% |
| 2018 | 3.82% | 3.13% | 3.27% | 3.45% |
| 2019 | 3.75% | 2.41% | 3.48% | 2.86% |
| 2020 | 3.93% | 2.89% | 4.44% | 3.43% |
| 2021 | 3.64% | 3.02% | 4.02% | 3.44% |
| 2022 | 2.86% | 2.67% | 3.26% | 2.84% |
| 2023 | 2.67% | 2.63% | 2.77% | 2.78% |
| 2024 | 2.78% | 2.65% | 2.68% | 2.79% |
| 2025 | 2.68% | 2.67% | 2.67% | 2.73% |
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Frequently asked questions
What is the unemployment rate in South Korea?
South Korea's unemployment rate was 2.68% of the labor force in 2025 in the World Bank's modeled ILO series. National statistical releases may use a different series.
When was South Korea's unemployment rate highest in this series?
The highest displayed value was 6.96% in 1998. This comparison covers 1991 through 2025; it is not a claim about years outside the available series.
Why are these countries compared with South Korea?
The comparison selects three countries with the closest 2025 values, among countries with over one million people and at least fifteen consecutive annual observations in common. The matching is based on the indicator level, not economic structure or geographic proximity.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank, World Development Indicators (SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS), % of the labor force. Retrieved November 5, 2026. Unemployment is the share of the labor force without work but available for and seeking employment. These are modeled ILO estimates, so they can differ from a country's headline national series and do not measure everyone without a job. Peers are selected by proximity to the country's latest value among countries with over one million people and a continuous common series. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.
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