Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Korea
Korea: Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) was 5.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Korea, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Korea stood at 5.1%.
The figure is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Korea peaked at 15.5% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 4.8%, in 2017.
Korea ranks 132nd 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 (% of total employment) in Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 15.5% | — |
| 1992 | 13.3% | -13.8% |
| 1993 | 12.8% | -3.9% |
| 1994 | 11.9% | -6.9% |
| 1995 | 11.2% | -6.3% |
| 1996 | 10.6% | -5.4% |
| 1997 | 10.2% | -3.3% |
| 1998 | 11.5% | +11.9% |
| 1999 | 10.8% | -5.7% |
| 2000 | 10.4% | -3.4% |
| 2001 | 9.9% | -5.1% |
| 2002 | 9.2% | -6.8% |
| 2003 | 8.6% | -6.5% |
| 2004 | 7.9% | -8.5% |
| 2005 | 7.5% | -5.3% |
| 2006 | 7.2% | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 6.9% | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 6.7% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 6.6% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 6.2% | -6.1% |
| 2011 | 6.0% | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 5.8% | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 5.6% | -2.6% |
| 2014 | 5.2% | -6.7% |
| 2015 | 5.1% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 4.8% | -5.7% |
| 2017 | 4.8% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 5.0% | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 5.1% | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 5.4% | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 5.3% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 5.4% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 5.3% | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 5.2% | -2.4% |
| 2025 | 5.1% | -1.8% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 5.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.4%, 2.1× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Korea's 5.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 23.6%, 22% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.0% | 10.2% | 15.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 8.1% | 6.6% | 10.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.4% | 4.8% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.3% | 5.1% | 5.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Korea
- 129 New Zealand 5.4% compare
- 130 South Africa 5.4% compare
- 131 Russian Federation 5.1% compare
- 133 Mauritius 4.7% compare
- 134 Bulgaria 4.7% compare
- 135 Lithuania 4.7% compare
More agriculture & rural data for 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 (% of total employment) in Korea?
- Employment in agriculture (% of total employment) in Korea was 5.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest employment in agriculture (% of total employment) recorded in Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 15.5% in 1991.
- What is the lowest employment in agriculture (% of total employment) recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.8% in 2017.
- How does Korea rank for employment in agriculture (% of total employment)?
- Korea ranks 132nd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment in agriculture (% of total employment) rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Korea data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Employment in agriculture (% of total 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).