Employment in services — all countries

Employment in services — South Korea

Employment in services in South Korea in 2025 — 71.5%. Ranked 53 in the world out of 182. Since 1991, the indicator has risen by 24.2 pp.

2025 71.5% +0.4 pp vs 2024
World rank 53of 182
Period maximum 71.5%2025
Period minimum 47.4%1991

Trend over time

1991–2025 · % of employment

Employment in services — South Korea, 1991–2025405060708019911995199920032007201120152019202320251991: 47.4%1992: 49.7%1993: 52%1994: 53.3%1995: 54.3%1996: 55.7%1997: 57.3%1998: 59.6%1999: 60.7%2000: 60.5%2001: 61.7%2002: 62.5%2003: 62.8%2004: 64.2%2005: 65.1%2006: 65.9%2007: 66.6%2008: 67.2%2009: 68.2%2010: 68.1%2011: 68.4%2012: 68.9%2013: 68.8%2014: 69%2015: 69.5%2016: 70%2017: 69.9%2018: 69.8%2019: 70.3%2020: 70%2021: 70%2022: 70.1%2023: 70.7%2024: 71.1%2025: 71.5%
Change over the period: +24.2 pp Annual average: 0.71 pp

Comparison, 2025

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

South Korea 71.5%
World 50.6%
Eastern Asia computed 49.2%
High-income countries computed 75.2%
Employment in services — South Korea, by year South Korea All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 71.5 +0.4 pp
2024 71.1 +0.5 pp
2023 70.7 +0.6 pp
2022 70.1 +0.1 pp
2021 70 +0.1 pp
2020 70 −0.3 pp
2019 70.3 +0.5 pp
2018 69.8 −0.1 pp
2017 69.9 −0.1 pp
2016 70 +0.5 pp
2015 69.5 +0.5 pp
2014 69 +0.2 pp
2013 68.8 −0.1 pp
2012 68.9 +0.5 pp
2011 68.4 +0.4 pp
2010 68.1 −0.1 pp
2009 68.2 +1 pp
2008 67.2 +0.6 pp
2007 66.6 +0.7 pp
2006 65.9 +0.8 pp
2005 65.1 +0.9 pp
2004 64.2 +1.3 pp
2003 62.8 +0.3 pp
2002 62.5 +0.8 pp
2001 61.7 +1.2 pp
2000 60.5 −0.2 pp
1999 60.7 +1.1 pp
1998 59.6 +2.2 pp
1997 57.3 +1.6 pp
1996 55.7 +1.4 pp
1995 54.3 +1 pp
1994 53.3 +1.3 pp
1993 52 +2.3 pp
1992 49.7 +2.4 pp
1991 47.4

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.