Which has higher freedom of expression index, South Korea or Latvia?

South Korea, at 0.933 against 0.932 in Latvia as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and Latvia?

237 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

South Korea vs Latvia: Freedom of Expression Index

South Korea

0.933

in 2025

Latvia

0.932

in 2025

South Korea rank

12th

Latvia rank

14th

Freedom of Expression Index over time

South Korea
Latvia

How they compare

South Korea currently reports 0.933 against 0.932 in Latvia, a difference of 0.001.

The two have swapped places 15 times across 237 shared years of data; in 1789 it was Latvia ahead.

South Korea ranks 12th and Latvia ranks 14th of 176 countries.

Across the 25 decades both report, South Korea averaged higher in 5 and Latvia in 19.

Head to head by decade

Decade	South Korea	Latvia	Difference	Ahead
1780s	0.071	0.164	0.093	Latvia
1790s	0.071	0.087	0.016	Latvia
1800s	0.071	0.087	0.016	Latvia
1810s	0.071	0.087	0.016	Latvia
1820s	0.071	0.0818	0.0108	Latvia
1830s	0.071	0.074	0.003	Latvia
1840s	0.071	0.071	0	—
1850s	0.071	0.111	0.04	Latvia
1860s	0.071	0.181	0.11	Latvia
1870s	0.071	0.1751	0.1041	Latvia
1880s	0.0755	0.1858	0.1103	Latvia
1890s	0.1441	0.19	0.0459	Latvia
1900s	0.1274	0.2187	0.0913	Latvia
1910s	0.0606	0.1825	0.1219	Latvia
1920s	0.074	0.8389	0.7649	Latvia
1930s	0.074	0.5845	0.5105	Latvia
1940s	0.1952	0.0127	0.1825	South Korea
1950s	0.3749	0.0212	0.3537	South Korea
1960s	0.3929	0.0276	0.3653	South Korea
1970s	0.2773	0.0252	0.2521	South Korea
1980s	0.4307	0.1196	0.3111	South Korea
1990s	0.8876	0.9318	0.0442	Latvia
2000s	0.9272	0.9378	0.0106	Latvia
2010s	0.8388	0.9434	0.1046	Latvia
2020s	0.8815	0.9392	0.0577	Latvia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher freedom of expression index, South Korea or Latvia?: South Korea, at 0.933 against 0.932 in Latvia as of 2025.
What is the difference in freedom of expression index between South Korea and Latvia?: 0.001, with South Korea ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and Latvia?: 237 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.
How do South Korea and Latvia rank globally for freedom of expression index?: South Korea ranks 12th and Latvia ranks 14th of 176 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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South Korea vs Latvia: Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/compare/freedom-of-expression-index/korea-rep/latvia/

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<a href="https://social-development.statizoid.com/compare/freedom-of-expression-index/korea-rep/latvia/">South Korea vs Latvia: Freedom of Expression Index</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Freedom of Expression Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,035 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 30 October 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which people can discuss political matters at home and in the public sphere, the press, and media are free and can present different political perspectives, and the freedom of academic and cultural expression.