Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Korea
South Korea: Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) was 5.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Korea, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Korea stood at 5.5%.
That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and up 7.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Korea peaked at 14.1% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 4.9%, in 2016.
South Korea ranks 139th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 14.1% | — |
| 1992 | 11.6% | -17.2% |
| 1993 | 11.1% | -4.4% |
| 1994 | 10.4% | -6.7% |
| 1995 | 9.7% | -6.2% |
| 1996 | 9.3% | -4.8% |
| 1997 | 8.9% | -3.7% |
| 1998 | 10.0% | +11.9% |
| 1999 | 9.7% | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 9.2% | -5.2% |
| 2001 | 8.9% | -3.5% |
| 2002 | 8.2% | -7.6% |
| 2003 | 7.7% | -6.4% |
| 2004 | 7.2% | -6.5% |
| 2005 | 6.9% | -4.0% |
| 2006 | 6.6% | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 6.3% | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 6.3% | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 6.0% | -3.8% |
| 2011 | 5.7% | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 5.6% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 5.5% | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 5.2% | -5.9% |
| 2015 | 5.1% | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 4.9% | -4.4% |
| 2017 | 5.0% | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 5.2% | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 5.4% | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 5.7% | +6.0% |
| 2021 | 5.8% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 5.8% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 5.8% | -1.3% |
| 2024 | 5.6% | -3.2% |
| 2025 | 5.5% | -1.3% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 5.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.2%, 1.7× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 5.5% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 25.6%, 22% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.5% | 8.9% | 14.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 7.4% | 6.2% | 9.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.4% | 4.9% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.7% | 5.5% | 5.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More agriculture & rural data for South Korea
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 0.2516 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0146 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 530.46 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.1591 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1883 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.9% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Korea?
- Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) in South Korea was 5.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 14.1% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.9% in 2016.
- How does South Korea rank for employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment)?
- South Korea ranks 139th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in agriculture, male (% of male employment) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Employment is defined as persons of working age who were engaged in any activity to produce goods or provide services for pay or profit, whether at work during the reference period or not at work due to temporary absence from a job, or to working-time arrangement. The agriculture sector consists of activities in agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing, in accordance with division 1 (ISIC 2) or categories A-B (ISIC 3) or category A (ISIC 4).