Signal Tertiary-educated workers reach 58.2 percent of Korea's labour force by 2033

Summary

KEIS projects a steady rise in educational attainment across Korea's labour supply from 2023 to 2033. Among people aged 15 and over, those with a high-school education or less decline from 26.668 million to 25.299 million, while junior-college graduates and above grow from 18.739 million to 21.269 million. Within the economically active population, the share holding junior-college or higher qualifications climbs from 50.5 percent in 2023 to 58.2 percent in 2033. Participation diverges by education, as the rate for the less-educated group slides from 54.2 percent to 48.7 percent over the decade. The report explains the divergence through the ongoing shift toward higher education together with demographic change.