Agricultural land
16.0%Reference year · 2024Total land area, excluding inland water bodies.
Arable land, permanent crops and permanent pastures as a share of land area.
World Bank sourceCountry context · Asia
Republic of Korea: agriculture in context.
Republic of Korea is part of WFA’s founding network. A modest agriculture share of GDP sits alongside agricultural employment, making technology and the wider food economy useful parts of the discussion.
World Bank reporting area: Korea, Rep.
Employment in agriculture
5.1%Reference year · 2025Share of total employment.
Employment in agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing as a share of all employment; modeled ILO estimate.
World Bank sourceAgriculture value added
1.5%Reference year · 2025Share of gross domestic product (GDP).
Value added from agriculture, forestry and fishing as a share of GDP; value added deducts intermediate inputs from output.
World Bank sourcePart of WFA’s founding network
Republic of Korea was among the 27 countries and territories named in WFA’s founding initiative. The association’s first international conference took place on 15–16 December 2022 in Yiwu, Zhejiang, China.
The founding network connected agricultural communities across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas around cooperation, practical knowledge and farmer livelihoods.
Understand the agricultural figures
The figures above describe land use, work and primary production. Agricultural land includes permanent pasture as well as arable land and permanent crops. Employment covers agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing and uses a modeled ILO estimate.
The land-use figure is from 2024; employment and value added are from 2025. Each percentage has a different denominator: land area, total employment or GDP. Value added deducts intermediate inputs from output; it is a share of the economy, rather than a growth rate or measure of farm income.
Food manufacturing, distribution and retail can create additional work and value outside the agriculture category. Following those activities helps explain how primary production connects with the wider food economy.
Judge technology by the task it improves.
The Republic of Korea’s agricultural employment and GDP shares are modest parts of their respective national totals. A technology discussion can therefore ask about the task and the people using a tool rather than treating the sector’s percentage as a measure of its needs. Equipment and digital services require their own operating case.
Compare maintenance, training, labour, connectivity and recurring cost alongside the benefit being sought. A small trial can reveal whether a system fits a particular farm. A useful record explains the starting conditions and the results, allowing other growers to judge whether the experience applies to their own work.
Explore Republic of Korea’s wider context
The linked World Bank country profile brings together economic, social and environmental information. Read the historical series alongside recent experience from farmers, producer organizations, researchers and public agencies. Together, they can help define the resources, skills, costs and market requirements behind a local agricultural decision.