Egalitarian Democracy Index in South Korea
South Korea: Egalitarian Democracy Index was 0.712 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.712
Change on year
up 15.2%
World rank
20th
of 175 countries
All-time high
0.743
in 2018
All-time low
0.033
in 1909
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Egalitarian Democracy Index in South Korea, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for egalitarian democracy index in South Korea is 0.712, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 15.2% on the previous year and up 19.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, egalitarian democracy index in South Korea peaked at 0.743 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.033, in 1909.
South Korea ranks 20th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Egalitarian Democracy Index in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.034 | — |
| 1901 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.034 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.033 | -2.9% |
| 1910 | 0.035 | +6.1% |
| 1911 | 0.046 | +31.4% |
| 1912 | 0.046 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.046 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.046 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.046 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.046 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.046 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.046 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.047 | +2.2% |
| 1920 | 0.045 | -4.3% |
| 1921 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.085 | +88.9% |
| 1946 | 0.117 | +37.6% |
| 1947 | 0.116 | -0.9% |
| 1948 | 0.141 | +21.6% |
| 1949 | 0.177 | +25.5% |
| 1950 | 0.169 | -4.5% |
| 1951 | 0.169 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.169 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.172 | +1.8% |
| 1954 | 0.191 | +11.0% |
| 1955 | 0.192 | +0.5% |
| 1956 | 0.19 | -1.0% |
| 1957 | 0.19 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.191 | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 0.191 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.251 | +31.4% |
| 1961 | 0.195 | -22.3% |
| 1962 | 0.177 | -9.2% |
| 1963 | 0.181 | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 0.216 | +19.3% |
| 1965 | 0.216 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.216 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.221 | +2.3% |
| 1968 | 0.221 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.221 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.226 | +2.3% |
| 1971 | 0.226 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.201 | -11.1% |
| 1973 | 0.191 | -5.0% |
| 1974 | 0.193 | +1.0% |
| 1975 | 0.193 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.192 | -0.5% |
| 1977 | 0.192 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.194 | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 0.194 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.21 | +8.2% |
| 1981 | 0.209 | -0.5% |
| 1982 | 0.213 | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 0.217 | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 0.224 | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 0.248 | +10.7% |
| 1986 | 0.253 | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 0.301 | +19.0% |
| 1988 | 0.47 | +56.1% |
| 1989 | 0.507 | +7.9% |
| 1990 | 0.526 | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 0.526 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.528 | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 0.595 | +12.7% |
| 1994 | 0.599 | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 0.599 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.607 | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 0.613 | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 0.696 | +13.5% |
| 1999 | 0.706 | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 0.73 | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 0.734 | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 0.732 | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 0.734 | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 0.735 | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 0.735 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.735 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.735 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.654 | -11.0% |
| 2009 | 0.652 | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 0.656 | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 0.656 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.648 | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 0.604 | -6.8% |
| 2014 | 0.597 | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 0.597 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.608 | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 0.735 | +20.9% |
| 2018 | 0.743 | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 0.732 | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 0.74 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 0.742 | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 0.696 | -6.2% |
| 2023 | 0.618 | -11.2% |
| 2024 | 0.618 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 0.712 | +15.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.712 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.671, 1.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.712 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.311, 2.3× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Egalitarian Democracy Index in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | +88.9% | 0.045 | 0.085 |
| 1988 | +56.1% | 0.301 | 0.47 |
| 1946 | +37.6% | 0.085 | 0.117 |
| 1911 | +31.4% | 0.035 | 0.046 |
| 1960 | +31.4% | 0.191 | 0.251 |
| 1949 | +25.5% | 0.141 | 0.177 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.0339 | 0.033 | 0.034 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.045 | 0.035 | 0.047 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.045 | 0.045 | 0.045 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.045 | 0.045 | 0.045 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0861 | 0.045 | 0.177 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.1824 | 0.169 | 0.192 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2115 | 0.177 | 0.251 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2002 | 0.191 | 0.226 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2852 | 0.209 | 0.507 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5995 | 0.526 | 0.706 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7176 | 0.652 | 0.735 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.6576 | 0.597 | 0.743 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6877 | 0.618 | 0.742 | 6 |
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 egalitarian democracy index in South Korea?
- Egalitarian democracy index in South Korea was 0.712 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest egalitarian democracy index recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 0.743 in 2018.
- What is the lowest egalitarian democracy index recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.033 in 1909.
- How does South Korea rank for egalitarian democracy index?
- South Korea ranks 20th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is egalitarian democracy index rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Egalitarian Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, as well as the extent to which the protection of rights, access to power, and distribution of resources is equal.