Female researchers: Government … Government HC in South Korea
South Korea: Female researchers: Government … Government HC was 29.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (HC) in South Korea, 1997–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 29.7% for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) in 2023. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
The figure is up 3.6% on the previous year and up 22.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) in South Korea peaked at 29.7% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 8.4%, in 1999.
That places South Korea 82nd out of 92 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Female researchers: Government … Government HC in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 9.1% | — |
| 1998 | 8.7% | -4.0% |
| 1999 | 8.4% | -3.5% |
| 2000 | 10.6% | +25.7% |
| 2001 | 10.3% | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 10.9% | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 11.1% | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 11.6% | +4.5% |
| 2005 | 11.0% | -5.4% |
| 2006 | 13.5% | +23.5% |
| 2007 | 16.7% | +23.7% |
| 2008 | 16.0% | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 18.4% | +14.7% |
| 2010 | 20.1% | +9.6% |
| 2011 | 22.1% | +9.6% |
| 2012 | 23.1% | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 24.2% | +4.8% |
| 2014 | 25.0% | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 24.9% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 25.5% | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 26.1% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 26.5% | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 27.2% | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 26.2% | -3.4% |
| 2021 | 27.8% | +5.9% |
| 2022 | 28.7% | +3.2% |
| 2023 | 29.7% | +3.6% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 29.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 46.4%, 64% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 29.7% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 50.3%, 59% of the median. (10 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.7% | 8.4% | 9.1% | 3 |
| 2000s | 13.0% | 10.3% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.5% | 20.1% | 27.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.1% | 26.2% | 29.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More science & technology data for South Korea
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 172.52 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.72 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 89.22 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 859.55 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 6.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 6.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 50,459 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 50,459 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) in South Korea?
- Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) in South Korea was 29.7% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 29.7% in 2023.
- What is the lowest female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.4% in 1999.
- How does South Korea rank for female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc)?
- South Korea ranks 82nd out of 92 countries with data for 2023.
- Is female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (hc) rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Female researchers as a percentage of total researchers (HC) - Government. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 27 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release