Civil Rights Score in South Korea
South Korea: Civil Rights Score was 8 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Civil Rights Score in South Korea, 2005–2025
Source: Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for civil rights score in South Korea is 8, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, civil rights score in South Korea peaked at 9 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 8, in 2011.
South Korea ranks 12th of 128 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.
Civil Rights Score in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 9 | — |
| 2007 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 8 | -11.1% |
| 2013 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 8 | +0.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 8 is above the median for high income countries, which is 8, 1.0× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 8 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.5, 2.3× the median. (14 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 3 |
| 2010s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 |
| 2020s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More social development data for South Korea
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 4,407 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 117 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 117 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is civil rights score in South Korea?
- Civil rights score in South Korea was 8 in 2025, according to Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest civil rights score recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 9 in 2005.
- What is the lowest civil rights score recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 8 in 2011.
- How does South Korea rank for civil rights score?
- South Korea ranks 12th out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is civil rights score rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Civil Rights Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Indicates the extent to which civil rights are codified in law, and the state prosecutes any violations and works to prevent discrimination.