{"version":1,"asset_type":"statistical_series","data_type":"time_series","slug":"kr-unemployment-rate-ilo","url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/kr-unemployment-rate-ilo","html_url":"https://apiardata.com/statistics/kr-unemployment-rate-ilo/","title":"South Korea Unemployment Rate (ILO, % of Labor Force) (2025)","description":"South Korea's Unemployment Rate (ILO, % of Labor Force): 2.7 % of labor force (ILO methodology) in 2025, -0.1pp YoY.","domain":"labor","category":"Labour & Employment","keywords":["Labour & Employment","World Bank","South Korea","2025"],"publisher":"World Bank","frequency":"Annual","geography":"South Korea","temporal_coverage":"1991/2025","unit":"% of labor force (ILO methodology)","last_updated":"2026-07-26","last_updated_text":"26 July 2026","data_as_of":"2025","variable_measured":"South Korea Unemployment Rate (ILO, % of Labor Force)","license":"https://apiardata.com/data-license","is_accessible_for_free":true,"sources":[{"name":"World Bank","url":"https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS?locations=KR"}],"meta":[{"label":"Frequency","value":"Annual"},{"label":"Coverage","value":"1991–2025"},{"label":"Observations","value":"35"},{"label":"Geography","value":"South Korea"},{"label":"Last updated","value":"26 July 2026"}],"kpis":[{"label":"South Korea (2025)","value":"2.7","unit":"% of labor force (ILO methodology)","trend":{"direction":"down","value":"-0.1pp YoY"}},{"label":"YoY Change","value":"-0.1pp","unit":"percentage points"},{"label":"Trend","value":"down","unit":""},{"label":"Series length","value":"35","unit":"years of data"}],"series":[{"key":"value","label":"South Korea Unemployment Rate (ILO, % of Labor Force)"}],"observation_count":35,"observations":[{"period":"1991","value":2.407},{"period":"1992","value":2.513},{"period":"1993","value":2.878},{"period":"1994","value":2.476},{"period":"1995","value":2.063},{"period":"1996","value":2.048},{"period":"1997","value":2.608},{"period":"1998","value":6.963},{"period":"1999","value":6.342},{"period":"2000","value":4.063},{"period":"2001","value":3.699},{"period":"2002","value":3.046},{"period":"2003","value":3.348},{"period":"2004","value":3.42},{"period":"2005","value":3.482},{"period":"2006","value":3.254},{"period":"2007","value":3.013},{"period":"2008","value":2.959},{"period":"2009","value":3.363},{"period":"2010","value":3.324},{"period":"2011","value":2.992},{"period":"2012","value":2.812},{"period":"2013","value":3.067},{"period":"2014","value":3.082},{"period":"2015","value":3.546},{"period":"2016","value":3.65},{"period":"2017","value":3.653},{"period":"2018","value":3.824},{"period":"2019","value":3.746},{"period":"2020","value":3.931},{"period":"2021","value":3.639},{"period":"2022","value":2.857},{"period":"2023","value":2.675},{"period":"2024","value":2.784},{"period":"2025","value":2.683}],"table":{"columns":[{"key":"year","label":"Year"},{"key":"value","label":"% of labor force (ILO methodology)"},{"key":"yoyChange","label":"YoY Change"}],"rows":[{"year":"2025","value":"2.7","yoyChange":"-0.1pp"},{"year":"2024","value":"2.8","yoyChange":"+0.1pp"},{"year":"2023","value":"2.7","yoyChange":"-0.2pp"},{"year":"2022","value":"2.9","yoyChange":"-0.7pp"},{"year":"2021","value":"3.6","yoyChange":"-0.3pp"},{"year":"2020","value":"3.9","yoyChange":"+0.2pp"},{"year":"2019","value":"3.7","yoyChange":"-0.1pp"},{"year":"2018","value":"3.8","yoyChange":"+0.1pp"},{"year":"2017","value":"3.7","yoyChange":"+0.1pp"},{"year":"2016","value":"3.6","yoyChange":"+0.1pp"},{"year":"2015","value":"3.5","yoyChange":"+0.4pp"},{"year":"2014","value":"3.1","yoyChange":"unchanged"},{"year":"2013","value":"3.1","yoyChange":"+0.3pp"},{"year":"2012","value":"2.8","yoyChange":"-0.2pp"},{"year":"2011","value":"3.0","yoyChange":"-0.3pp"},{"year":"2010","value":"3.3","yoyChange":"-0.1pp"},{"year":"2009","value":"3.4","yoyChange":"+0.4pp"},{"year":"2008","value":"3.0","yoyChange":"unchanged"},{"year":"2007","value":"3.0","yoyChange":"-0.3pp"},{"year":"2006","value":"3.3","yoyChange":"-0.2pp"}]},"qa":[{"question":"What does this indicator measure?","answer":"This page tracks the unemployment rate (ILO methodology) in South Korea from 1990 to present. ILO-consistent unemployment allows direct cross-country comparison of labour market slack on a standardised basis. It is published by World Bank and updated annually."},{"question":"How current is this data?","answer":"The most recent observation covers 2025. World Bank typically publishes this series with a lag of several months after the reference period. The series runs 1991–2025 (35 observations)."},{"question":"What is the long-term trend?","answer":"The series peaked at 7 % of labor force (ILO methodology) in 1998 and reached its lowest recorded value of 2 in 1996. The latest reading of 2.7 in 2025 represents a change of -0.1pp."}]}