North Korea Economy
East Asia & Pacific · Low income · Capital: Pyongyang
Key Highlights
- The unemployment rate was 3.5% in 2025 (previous: 3.5%).
Main Indicators
| Indicator | Last | Previous | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% | 3.5% | 2025 |
Labour
| Indicator | Last | Previous | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youth Unemployment Rate | 7.9% | 7.8% | 2025 |
| Labour Force Participation Rate | 82.2% | 82.2% | 2025 |
| Employment Rate | 79.2% | 79.3% | 2025 |
| Population | 26.57M | 26.50M | 2025 |
Trade
| Indicator | Last | Previous | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign Direct Investment | $0.01B | -$0.01B | 2025 |
| Terms of Trade | 103.6 | 104.2 | 2024 |
North Korea economy explained in simple words
Jobs
The unemployment rate was 3.5% in 2025 (world: 4.8%).
About 82.2% of people aged 15 and over are in the labour force (working or looking for work).
How to read this page
The four boxes at the top show the most-watched numbers: GDP growth (how fast the economy is expanding), inflation (how fast prices are rising), the central bank policy rate (the base cost of borrowing) and unemployment (the share of job-seekers without work). The small arrow shows the change from the previous reading.
The tabs group all available indicators by topic — GDP, labour, prices, money, trade, government and housing. Each row shows the latest value, the previous value, the period it refers to, a small trend line and the source. Click any indicator to open its full history, chart, statistics and comparison with other countries.
Monthly and quarterly figures come from national statistics offices and central banks — via the OECD, the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and, for India, the Ministry of Statistics (MoSPI); annual figures come from the World Bank and the IMF. Different indicators are published at different times, so the periods shown can differ.
Frequently asked questions
What is the unemployment rate of North Korea?
Data are sourced from official international organisations (IMF, World Bank, BIS) and national authorities, and are shown for educational and informational purposes only. They are not investment advice and no recommendation is made. Figures may be revised by the source; IMF figures for the current and future years are projections. This page was last updated on Saturday, October 17, 2026.