Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's industry employment was 22.41% in 2025, ranked 120th globally. This represents a 0.5% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's industry employment stood at 22.41% in 2025, a decline of +0.12% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 22.38% by 2026. Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of ranked 120th globally.
Industry employment in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has fallen steadily over the 35‑year series, slipping from an all‑time peak of 30.90 % of the labour force in 1991 to a trough of 22.41 % in 2025, placing the country at rank 120 globally. The decline reflects a prolonged shift toward services and agriculture, constrained by limited industrial diversification and persistent sanctions that have reduced manufacturing capacity. Relative to peers with comparable shares, North Korea’s 2025 figure of 22.41 % is marginally higher than Thailand’s 22.24 % and Senegal’s 22.50 %, yet still below Albania’s 21.98 %, suggesting that its industrial base remains modest even among lower‑ranked economies. The persistent downward trajectory indicates that without substantial policy reforms, foreign investment, or technology transfer to rejuvenate the manufacturing sector, the share of workers in industry is likely to continue contracting in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 22.26% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 22.32% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 22.38% | - | - |
| 2025 | 22.41% | −0.12% | #120 |
| 2024 | 22.52% | −0.14% | #123 |
| 2023 | 22.66% | +0.13% | #126 |
| 2022 | 22.53% | −0.17% | #125 |
| 2021 | 22.70% | −0.38% | #126 |
| 2020 | 23.08% | −0.28% | #129 |
| 2019 | 23.36% | −0.12% | #129 |
| 2018 | 23.48% | −0.59% | #132 |
| 2017 | 24.07% | −0.56% | #131 |
| 2016 | 24.63% | +0.12% | #137 |
| 2015 | 24.51% | −0.28% | #136 |
| 2014 | 24.80% | −0.10% | #140 |
| 2013 | 24.90% | −0.10% | #140 |
| 2012 | 25.00% | −0.10% | #139 |
| 2011 | 25.10% | −0.17% | #143 |
Analysis
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's industry employment was 22.41% in 2025, a decline of −0.12% from 2024. Based on trends, estimated 22.38% by 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's industry employment was 22.41% in 2025. Ranked 120th globally. This represents a 0.5% decrease from the previous year.
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's industry employment peaked at 30.90% in 1991.
The lowest industry employment in Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of was 22.41% in 2025.
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of ranks 120th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's industry employment is projected to reach 22.38% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of in 2025 was 22.41%. This ranks 120th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_korea-democratic-people-s-republic-of_industry-employment,
title = {Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/korea-democratic-people-s-republic-of/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}