Based on an examination of the structural aspects of rural labor forces in Korea, this study intends to identify the reasons why the recent trend in both non-farm employment and off-farm incomes of farm households shows a sluggish step in its growth. It is emphasized that in the upper-developing countries, like Korea, policy makers whishing to promote growth in the rural non-farm economy must look to the long-term trend in rural or farm lobor forces-the selection of unbalanced growth strategies is apt to cause a shortage of labor in rural areas in the long run.