Labor force, total in North Korea stood at 17.7 million persons in 2025, according to World Bank. The latest value is up 0.3% from 17.65 million persons in 2024. Ten years earlier, in 2015, the value was 16.83 million persons (up 5.1% since). The latest value is the highest since 1990; the lowest was 12.64 million persons in 1990. North Korea ranked 38th highest of the 182 countries in this dataset in 2025; China ranked first.
Data source: World Bank · Unit: persons · Category: Labor and Employment · Explore more indicators on EconDash
Labor force, total, measured in persons, reflects labor market conditions in North Korea, indicating the balance between available workers and job openings. It serves as a crucial signal of economic health, consumer spending capacity, and social stability. Labor market data typically includes multiple dimensions: unemployment rates, employment-to-population ratios, labor force participation, and wage growth. Each metric captures different aspects of job market dynamics — for example, the unemployment rate counts only those actively seeking work, while the participation rate reveals how many working-age people are engaged in the labor market. In North Korea, labor statistics are gathered through household surveys, employer reports, and administrative records like unemployment benefit claims. Changes in Labor force, total often precede broader economic shifts: rising unemployment typically signals slowing economic activity, while tightening labor markets may foreshadow wage pressures and inflation.
Labor force, total in North Korea stood at 17.7 million persons in 2025, according to World Bank.
The latest value is up 0.3% from 17.65 million persons in 2024. Ten years earlier, in 2015, the value was 16.83 million persons (up 5.1% since).
North Korea ranked 38th highest of the 182 countries in this dataset in 2025; China ranked first.
The latest value is the highest since 1990; the lowest was 12.64 million persons in 1990.
| Indicator | Labor force, total |
|---|---|
| Country | North Korea |
| Category | Labor and Employment |
| Unit | persons |
| Source | World Bank |
| Interactive chart | View on EconDash |
| API access | EconDash API documentation |
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World Bank. (2026). Labor force, total — North Korea [Data set]. Retrieved November 13, 2026, from EconDash: https://econdash.org/chart/labor-force-total/PRK. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.TOTL.IN
World Bank. "Labor force, total — North Korea." EconDash, 2026, https://econdash.org/chart/labor-force-total/PRK. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.TOTL.IN.
World Bank. 2026. "Labor force, total — North Korea." EconDash. Accessed November 13, 2026. https://econdash.org/chart/labor-force-total/PRK. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.TOTL.IN.
@misc{econdash_labor_force_total_prk,
author = {{World Bank}},
title = {{Labor force, total --- North Korea}},
howpublished = {EconDash},
year = {2026},
url = {https://econdash.org/chart/labor-force-total/PRK},
note = {Accessed: 2026-11-13. Original source: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.TLF.TOTL.IN}
}Browse indicators available for North Korea. Click any indicator to view its interactive chart, compare with other countries, and download historical data.
| Demographics | 46 indicators |
|---|---|
| Healthcare | 28 indicators |
| Macroeconomics | 22 indicators |
| Real Estate | 1 indicators |
| Education | 6 indicators |
| Commodities and Energy | 87 indicators |
| Technology and Internet | 4 indicators |
| Transport and Logistics | 12 indicators |
| Labor and Employment | 26 indicators |
| Total indicators | 232 |