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

Sweden, at 0.946 against 0.933 in South Korea as of 2025.

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

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 Sweden: Freedom of Expression Index

South Korea

0.933

in 2025

Sweden

0.946

in 2025

South Korea rank

12th

Sweden rank

10th

Freedom of Expression Index over time

South Korea
Sweden

How they compare

Sweden currently reports 0.946 against 0.933 in South Korea, a difference of 0.013.

Across all 237 years both countries report, Sweden has been ahead every year.

South Korea ranks 12th and Sweden ranks 10th of 176 countries.

Sweden has averaged higher in every one of the 25 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	South Korea	Sweden	Difference	Ahead
1780s	0.071	0.438	0.367	Sweden
1790s	0.071	0.4521	0.3811	Sweden
1800s	0.071	0.4576	0.3866	Sweden
1810s	0.071	0.664	0.593	Sweden
1820s	0.071	0.736	0.665	Sweden
1830s	0.071	0.776	0.705	Sweden
1840s	0.071	0.7865	0.7155	Sweden
1850s	0.071	0.797	0.726	Sweden
1860s	0.071	0.797	0.726	Sweden
1870s	0.071	0.797	0.726	Sweden
1880s	0.0755	0.797	0.7215	Sweden
1890s	0.1441	0.797	0.6529	Sweden
1900s	0.1274	0.806	0.6786	Sweden
1910s	0.0606	0.8145	0.7539	Sweden
1920s	0.074	0.888	0.814	Sweden
1930s	0.074	0.8722	0.7982	Sweden
1940s	0.1952	0.8461	0.6509	Sweden
1950s	0.3749	0.948	0.5731	Sweden
1960s	0.3929	0.9564	0.5635	Sweden
1970s	0.2773	0.9612	0.6839	Sweden
1980s	0.4307	0.968	0.5373	Sweden
1990s	0.8876	0.9745	0.0869	Sweden
2000s	0.9272	0.97	0.0428	Sweden
2010s	0.8388	0.9709	0.1321	Sweden
2020s	0.8815	0.9567	0.0752	Sweden

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher freedom of expression index, South Korea or Sweden?: Sweden, at 0.946 against 0.933 in South Korea as of 2025.
What is the difference in freedom of expression index between South Korea and Sweden?: 0.013, with Sweden ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and Sweden?: 237 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.
How do South Korea and Sweden rank globally for freedom of expression index?: South Korea ranks 12th and Sweden ranks 10th 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 Sweden: Freedom of Expression Index. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/compare/freedom-of-expression-index/korea-rep/sweden/

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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.