Education in North Korea 29 indicators covering education for North Korea. IndicatorLatest Year10-yr change Rank Primary school starting age 7 years 2025 unchanged 1st Lower secondary school starting age 12 years 2025 unchanged 30th Population ages 15-64 68.4% 2025 down 1.3% 45th Population ages 0-14 18.9% 2025 down 4.5% 131st Labor force, female 48.2% 2025 down 0.9% 40th Labor force, total 17.70 million 2025 up 5.1% 39th Probability of dying among youth ages 20-24 years 5 per 1,000 2024 down 15.3% 97th Probability of dying among adolescents ages 15-19 years 3.9 per 1,000 2024 down 15.2% 82nd Probability of dying among adolescents ages 10-14 years 1.8 per 1,000 2024 down 18.2% 85th Probability of dying among children ages 5-9 years 2 per 1,000 2024 down 23.1% 71st Government expenditure on education, total 14.6% 2025 up 3.8% 64th Secondary education, duration 6 years 2025 unchanged 91st Primary education, duration 5 years 2025 unchanged 154th Number of under-five deaths, male 3,223 2024 down 25.6% 68th Number of infant deaths, female 1,960 2024 down 26.1% 68th Number of infant deaths, male 2,576 2024 down 26.6% 68th Number of under-five deaths, female 2,474 2024 down 25.2% 69th Unemployment, female (% of female labor force) 3.7% 2025 up 0.7% 135th Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) 3.4% 2025 up 0.6% 128th Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) 3.5% 2025 up 0.6% 127th Number of deaths ages 20-24 years 1,817 2024 down 23.2% 64th Number of deaths ages 15-19 years 1,273 2024 down 30.4% 69th Number of deaths ages 10-14 years 572 2024 down 28.8% 68th Number of deaths ages 5-9 years 663 2024 down 22.9% 64th Population by level of education 9.10 million people 2100 up 2.4% 61st Number of adults with no formal education by region 2,000 people 2100 down 16.7% 157th Share of the population with no formal education with projections 0.0% 2100 down 9.3% 199th Compulsory education, duration 12 years 2025 unchanged 33rd Preprimary education, duration 4 years 2025 unchanged 88th