Korea Agriculture Employment
Employment in agriculture SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
Korea's agriculture employment was 5.10% in 2025, ranked 56th globally. This represents a 1.8% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Korea's agriculture employment stood at 5.10% in 2025, a decline of +0.09% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 5.06% by 2026. Korea ranked 56th globally.
South Korea’s share of the labour force employed in agriculture has fallen dramatically since the early 1990s, when the sector employed 15.48 percent of workers, the highest level recorded in the 35‑year series. The decline accelerated through the 2000s, reaching an all‑time trough of 4.78 percent in 2017, before modestly rising to 5.10 percent in 2025, placing the country 56th globally. This trajectory mirrors the structural shift toward manufacturing and services that has characterised the Korean economy, as well as the mechanisation and consolidation of farms that reduced labour demand. The 2025 figure is comparable to the Russian Federation’s 5.11 percent share and slightly above Mauritius’s 4.71 percent, underscoring Korea’s position among middle‑ranking agricultural employers. Continued urbanisation, ageing rural populations and policies promoting high‑value crops could keep the share of agricultural employment near its current level, while any major push for agritech adoption might stabilize or even modestly increase the proportion of workers in the sector.
Data & projection
| Year | Agriculture Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 4.92% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 4.99% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 5.06% | - | - |
| 2025 | 5.10% | −0.09% | #56 |
| 2024 | 5.20% | −0.13% | #56 |
| 2023 | 5.32% | −0.11% | #56 |
| 2022 | 5.43% | +0.08% | #53 |
| 2021 | 5.35% | −0.02% | #53 |
| 2020 | 5.37% | +0.23% | #53 |
| 2019 | 5.14% | +0.15% | #53 |
| 2018 | 5.00% | +0.21% | #52 |
| 2017 | 4.78% | −0.03% | #50 |
| 2016 | 4.82% | −0.29% | #49 |
| 2015 | 5.11% | −0.12% | #50 |
| 2014 | 5.23% | −0.38% | #51 |
| 2013 | 5.60% | −0.15% | #53 |
| 2012 | 5.75% | −0.21% | #52 |
| 2011 | 5.96% | −0.23% | #54 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Korea matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2006. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw agriculture employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Korea's agriculture employment was 5.10% in 2025. Ranked 56th globally. This represents a 1.8% decrease from the previous year.
Korea's agriculture employment peaked at 15.48% in 1991.
The lowest agriculture employment in Korea was 4.78% in 2017.
Korea ranks 56th globally in agriculture employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Korea's agriculture employment is projected to reach 5.06% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The agriculture employment of Korea in 2025 was 5.10%. This ranks 56th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_korea_agriculture-employment,
title = {Korea Agriculture Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/korea/agriculture-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}