Employment in services — all countries

Employment in services — North Korea

Employment in services in North Korea in 2025 — 23.5%. Ranked 176 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has risen by 7 pp.

2025 23.5% +0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank 176of 182
Period maximum 23.7%2019
Period minimum 16.6%1991

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Employment in services — North Korea, 1991–2025161820222419911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 16.6%1992: 16.6%1993: 16.8%1994: 16.9%1995: 17.1%1996: 17.2%1997: 17.3%1998: 17.5%1999: 17.8%2000: 18.1%2001: 18.4%2002: 18.7%2003: 19%2004: 19.3%2005: 19.6%2006: 19.9%2007: 20.1%2008: 20.5%2009: 20.7%2010: 21%2011: 21.3%2012: 21.6%2013: 22%2014: 22.3%2015: 22.6%2016: 23%2017: 23.2%2018: 23.4%2019: 23.7%2020: 22.4%2021: 22.2%2022: 22.5%2023: 22.9%2024: 23.2%2025: 23.5%
Change over the period: +7 pp Annual average: 0.2 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: North Korea

North Korea 23.5%
World 50.6%
Eastern Asia computed 49.2%
Low-income countries computed 31.1%
Employment in services — North Korea, by year North Korea All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 23.5 +0.3 pp
2024 23.2 +0.3 pp
2023 22.9 +0.4 pp
2022 22.5 +0.3 pp
2021 22.2 −0.2 pp
2020 22.4 −1.3 pp
2019 23.7 +0.3 pp
2018 23.4 +0.2 pp
2017 23.2 +0.2 pp
2016 23 +0.4 pp
2015 22.6 +0.3 pp
2014 22.3 +0.3 pp
2013 22 +0.3 pp
2012 21.6 +0.3 pp
2011 21.3 +0.3 pp
2010 21 +0.3 pp
2009 20.7 +0.3 pp
2008 20.5 +0.3 pp
2007 20.1 +0.3 pp
2006 19.9 +0.3 pp
2005 19.6 +0.3 pp
2004 19.3 +0.3 pp
2003 19 +0.3 pp
2002 18.7 +0.3 pp
2001 18.4 +0.3 pp
2000 18.1 +0.2 pp
1999 17.8 +0.3 pp
1998 17.5 +0.2 pp
1997 17.3 +0.1 pp
1996 17.2 +0.2 pp
1995 17.1 +0.1 pp
1994 16.9 +0.2 pp
1993 16.8 +0.1 pp
1992 16.6 +0.1 pp
1991 16.6

Eastern Asia, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of total employment in the service sector: trade, transport, communications, finance, business services, public administration, education, health care. In high-income countries it exceeds 70–80%; the rise of this share is the main line of structural change in labor markets over the past half century.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.