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Labor force — all countries

Labor force — North Korea

Labor force in North Korea in 2025 — 17,696,854 people. Ranked 38 in the world out of 182. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 40%.

2025 17.7M people +0.28% vs 2024
World rank 38of 182
Period maximum 17.7M people2025
Period minimum 12.64M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — North Korea, 1990–202512M14M16M18M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 12,642,688 people1991: 12,876,850 people1992: 13,100,546 people1993: 13,308,721 people1994: 13,507,977 people1995: 13,693,292 people1996: 13,859,228 people1997: 14,038,798 people1998: 14,197,012 people1999: 14,330,706 people2000: 14,478,761 people2001: 14,614,099 people2002: 14,754,036 people2003: 14,907,575 people2004: 15,075,890 people2005: 15,236,165 people2006: 15,411,979 people2007: 15,585,861 people2008: 15,741,613 people2009: 15,908,580 people2010: 16,072,822 people2011: 16,232,268 people2012: 16,387,155 people2013: 16,538,377 people2014: 16,685,184 people2015: 16,832,596 people2016: 16,951,814 people2017: 17,087,766 people2018: 17,213,512 people2019: 17,306,773 people2020: 17,050,598 people2021: 17,137,602 people2022: 17,514,243 people2023: 17,585,844 people2024: 17,646,807 people2025: 17,696,854 people
Change over the period: +5.05M (+39.98%) Average annual rate: 0.97 %

Comparison, 2025

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

North Korea 17.7M people
World 3.74B people
East Asia & Pacific 1.28B people
Eastern Asia computed 891M people
Low-income countries computed 275M people
Labor force — North Korea, by year North Korea All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 17.7M +50,047 +0.28%
2024 17.65M +60,963 +0.35%
2023 17.59M +71,601 +0.41%
2022 17.51M +376,641 +2.2%
2021 17.14M +87,004 +0.51%
2020 17.05M −256,175 −1.48%
2019 17.31M +93,261 +0.54%
2018 17.21M +125,746 +0.74%
2017 17.09M +135,952 +0.8%
2016 16.95M +119,218 +0.71%
2015 16.83M +147,412 +0.88%
2014 16.69M +146,807 +0.89%
2013 16.54M +151,222 +0.92%
2012 16.39M +154,887 +0.95%
2011 16.23M +159,446 +0.99%
2010 16.07M +164,242 +1.03%
2009 15.91M +166,967 +1.06%
2008 15.74M +155,752 +1%
2007 15.59M +173,882 +1.13%
2006 15.41M +175,814 +1.15%
2005 15.24M +160,275 +1.06%
2004 15.08M +168,315 +1.13%
2003 14.91M +153,539 +1.04%
2002 14.75M +139,937 +0.96%
2001 14.61M +135,338 +0.93%
2000 14.48M +148,055 +1.03%
1999 14.33M +133,694 +0.94%
1998 14.2M +158,214 +1.13%
1997 14.04M +179,570 +1.3%
1996 13.86M +165,936 +1.21%
1995 13.69M +185,315 +1.37%
1994 13.51M +199,256 +1.5%
1993 13.31M +208,175 +1.59%
1992 13.1M +223,696 +1.74%
1991 12.88M +234,162 +1.85%
1990 12.64M — —

Eastern Asia, 2025

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

CN China 768M JP Japan 69.48M KR South Korea 29.87M KP North Korea 17.7M HK Hong Kong 3.79M MN Mongolia 1.46M MO Macao 401,572
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The economically active population — everyone aged 15 and over who either works or actively looks for work. It covers the employed, the unemployed and first-time job seekers; it leaves out students, homemakers and other people who do not offer their labor on the market. The size of the labor force is the basic constraint on the growth potential of an economy.

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

Other indicators for North Korea

Labor Female share of the labor force

What part of the labor force of a country is made up of women.

North Korea by year Labor Labor force participation rate

What share of the population aged 15 and over works or looks for work.

North Korea by year Labor Employment-to-population ratio

The share of the population aged 15 and over that actually works.

North Korea by year
All indicators for North Korea