South Korea Unemployment Rate

Name: South Korea Unemployment Rate
Creator: TRADING ECONOMICS
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Keywords: South Korea,Unemployment Rate,data,chart,actual,historical,values,calendar,forecast,graph,2025,2026,2027

South Korea’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged down to 2.9% in February 2026 from 3% in January, marking its lowest level in three months. The economy added 234,000 jobs during the month, the fastest year-on-year increase in five months, although declines in youth employment as well as in the manufacturing and construction sectors persisted. This was the largest job gain since the 312,000 increase recorded in September 2024, bringing total employment to 28.413 million. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed rose to 993,000 in February, up 54,000 or 5.7% year-on-year. The labor force participation rate also ticked higher to 64% from 63.6% in January. source: Statistics Korea

Unemployment Rate in South Korea decreased to 2.90 percent in February from 3 percent in January of 2026. Unemployment Rate in South Korea averaged 3.53 percent from 1999 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 7.10 percent in June of 1999 and a record low of 2.40 percent in August of 2023. This page provides - South Korea Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. South Korea Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on March of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in South Korea decreased to 2.90 percent in February from 3 percent in January of 2026. Unemployment Rate in South Korea is expected to be 2.90 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the South Korea Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 3.10 percent in 2027, according to our econometric models.

Related	Last	Previous	Unit	Reference
Employed Persons	28413.00	27986.00	Thousand	Feb 2026
Employment Rate	61.80	61.00	percent	Feb 2026
Labor Force Participation Rate	64.90	64.70	percent	Feb 2026
Unemployed Persons	993.00	1211.00	Thousand	Feb 2026
Unemployment Rate	2.90	3.00	percent	Feb 2026

South Korea Unemployment Rate

In South Korea, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.

	Actual	Previous	Highest	Lowest	Dates	Unit	Frequency
	2.90	3.00	7.10	2.40	1999 - 2026	percent	Monthly	SA

Compare: Unemployment Rate by Country

News Stream

South Korea Jobless Rate Falls to 3-Month Low

South Korea’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged down to 2.9% in February 2026 from 3% in January, marking its lowest level in three months. The economy added 234,000 jobs during the month, the fastest year-on-year increase in five months, although declines in youth employment as well as in the manufacturing and construction sectors persisted. This was the largest job gain since the 312,000 increase recorded in September 2024, bringing total employment to 28.413 million. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed rose to 993,000 in February, up 54,000 or 5.7% year-on-year. The labor force participation rate also ticked higher to 64% from 63.6% in January.

2026-03-17

South Korea Jobless Rate Falls to 3% in Jan

South Korea’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 3% in January 2026 from a downwardly revised 3.3% in December which was the highest in a year. The number of unemployed rose to 1.21 million, up 128,000 people, or 11.8%, from a year earlier, but slightly below December’s 1.22 million. The economy added 108,000 jobs in January, lifting total employment by 0.4% year-on-year to 27.99 million. This was the slowest pace of job growth in 13 months after employment contracted by 52,000 in December 2024, underscoring persistent weakness in manufacturing and construction. Youth unemployment fell for a 21st consecutive month, highlighting ongoing structural challenges in the labor market for younger workers. Meanwhile, the labor force participation rate edged up 0.2% year-on-year to 63.6% but eased from 64.1% in December, pointing to some softening in workforce engagement.

2026-02-10

South Korea Jobless Rate Hits Near 5-Year High

South Korea’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate jumped to 4% in December 2025, extending its rise for a third straight month and reaching its highest level in nearly five years. Unemployment typically rises in December as cold weather and icy conditions slow outdoor work. Seasonal pauses in construction, agriculture, fisheries, and forestry, along with the end of government-funded job programs, also contribute. The number of unemployed people rose to 1.22 million, up 103,000 or 9.2% year-on-year. Despite the weaker labor backdrop, the economy added 168,000 jobs, a 0.6% increase from a year earlier, bringing total employment to 28.2 million. However, that figure fell sharply from 29.71 million in November, highlighting recent labor market softening. The labor force participation rate stood at 64.1%, up 0.2% from a year ago but down from 64.8% in the prior month, signaling reduced workforce engagement at year end.

2026-01-13