What is freedom of association index in North Korea?

Freedom of association index in North Korea was 0.025 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest freedom of association index recorded in North Korea?

The highest recorded value was 0.079 in 1945.

What is the lowest freedom of association index recorded in North Korea?

The lowest recorded value was 0.021 in 1982.

How does North Korea rank for freedom of association index?

North Korea ranks 171st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is freedom of association index rising or falling in North Korea?

Over the last ten years it is up 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this North Korea data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Association Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Freedom of Association Index in North Korea

Name: Freedom of Association Index in North Korea
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

North Korea: Freedom of Association Index was 0.025 in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)

0.025

Change on year

down 10.7%

World rank

171st

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.079

in 1945

All-time low

0.021

in 1982

Years of data

203

1789–2025

Freedom of Association Index in North Korea, 1789–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for freedom of association index in North Korea is 0.025, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.7% on the previous year and up 19.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, freedom of association index in North Korea peaked at 0.079 in 1945 and was at its lowest, 0.021, in 1982.

North Korea ranks 171st of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 203 years of available data.

Freedom of Association Index in North Korea, year by year

Annual values for Freedom of Association Index in North Korea, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.048	—
1790	0.048	+0.0%
1791	0.048	+0.0%
1792	0.048	+0.0%
1793	0.048	+0.0%
1794	0.048	+0.0%
1795	0.048	+0.0%
1796	0.048	+0.0%
1797	0.048	+0.0%
1798	0.048	+0.0%
1799	0.048	+0.0%
1800	0.048	+0.0%
1801	0.048	+0.0%
1802	0.048	+0.0%
1803	0.048	+0.0%
1804	0.048	+0.0%
1805	0.048	+0.0%
1806	0.048	+0.0%
1807	0.048	+0.0%
1808	0.048	+0.0%
1809	0.048	+0.0%
1810	0.048	+0.0%
1811	0.048	+0.0%
1812	0.048	+0.0%
1813	0.048	+0.0%
1814	0.048	+0.0%
1815	0.048	+0.0%
1816	0.048	+0.0%
1817	0.048	+0.0%
1818	0.048	+0.0%
1819	0.048	+0.0%
1820	0.048	+0.0%
1821	0.048	+0.0%
1822	0.048	+0.0%
1823	0.048	+0.0%
1824	0.048	+0.0%
1825	0.048	+0.0%
1826	0.048	+0.0%
1827	0.048	+0.0%
1828	0.048	+0.0%
1829	0.048	+0.0%
1830	0.048	+0.0%
1831	0.048	+0.0%
1832	0.048	+0.0%
1833	0.048	+0.0%
1834	0.048	+0.0%
1835	0.048	+0.0%
1836	0.048	+0.0%
1837	0.048	+0.0%
1838	0.048	+0.0%
1839	0.048	+0.0%
1840	0.048	+0.0%
1841	0.048	+0.0%
1842	0.048	+0.0%
1843	0.048	+0.0%
1844	0.048	+0.0%
1845	0.048	+0.0%
1846	0.048	+0.0%
1847	0.048	+0.0%
1848	0.048	+0.0%
1849	0.048	+0.0%
1850	0.048	+0.0%
1851	0.048	+0.0%
1852	0.048	+0.0%
1853	0.048	+0.0%
1854	0.048	+0.0%
1855	0.048	+0.0%
1856	0.048	+0.0%
1857	0.048	+0.0%
1858	0.048	+0.0%
1859	0.048	+0.0%
1860	0.048	+0.0%
1861	0.048	+0.0%
1862	0.048	+0.0%
1863	0.048	+0.0%
1864	0.048	+0.0%
1865	0.048	+0.0%
1866	0.048	+0.0%
1867	0.048	+0.0%
1868	0.048	+0.0%
1869	0.048	+0.0%
1870	0.048	+0.0%
1871	0.048	+0.0%
1872	0.048	+0.0%
1873	0.048	+0.0%
1874	0.048	+0.0%
1875	0.048	+0.0%
1876	0.048	+0.0%
1877	0.048	+0.0%
1878	0.048	+0.0%
1879	0.048	+0.0%
1880	0.048	+0.0%
1881	0.048	+0.0%
1882	0.048	+0.0%
1883	0.048	+0.0%
1884	0.048	+0.0%
1885	0.048	+0.0%
1886	0.048	+0.0%
1887	0.048	+0.0%
1888	0.048	+0.0%
1889	0.048	+0.0%
1890	0.048	+0.0%
1891	0.048	+0.0%
1892	0.048	+0.0%
1893	0.048	+0.0%
1894	0.041	-14.6%
1895	0.051	+24.4%
1896	0.058	+13.7%
1897	0.058	+0.0%
1898	0.039	-32.8%
1899	0.039	+0.0%
1900	0.041	+5.1%
1901	0.041	+0.0%
1902	0.041	+0.0%
1903	0.041	+0.0%
1904	0.041	+0.0%
1905	0.037	-9.8%
1906	0.039	+5.4%
1907	0.035	-10.3%
1908	0.035	+0.0%
1909	0.035	+0.0%
1910	0.032	-8.6%
1945	0.079	+146.9%
1946	0.055	-30.4%
1947	0.054	-1.8%
1948	0.046	-14.8%
1949	0.05	+8.7%
1950	0.043	-14.0%
1951	0.043	+0.0%
1952	0.043	+0.0%
1953	0.043	+0.0%
1954	0.043	+0.0%
1955	0.043	+0.0%
1956	0.043	+0.0%
1957	0.034	-20.9%
1958	0.032	-5.9%
1959	0.032	+0.0%
1960	0.032	+0.0%
1961	0.032	+0.0%
1962	0.032	+0.0%
1963	0.032	+0.0%
1964	0.032	+0.0%
1965	0.032	+0.0%
1966	0.032	+0.0%
1967	0.032	+0.0%
1968	0.032	+0.0%
1969	0.032	+0.0%
1970	0.032	+0.0%
1971	0.032	+0.0%
1972	0.022	-31.3%
1973	0.023	+4.5%
1974	0.023	+0.0%
1975	0.023	+0.0%
1976	0.023	+0.0%
1977	0.023	+0.0%
1978	0.023	+0.0%
1979	0.023	+0.0%
1980	0.023	+0.0%
1981	0.023	+0.0%
1982	0.021	-8.7%
1983	0.021	+0.0%
1984	0.021	+0.0%
1985	0.021	+0.0%
1986	0.021	+0.0%
1987	0.021	+0.0%
1988	0.021	+0.0%
1989	0.021	+0.0%
1990	0.022	+4.8%
1991	0.022	+0.0%
1992	0.022	+0.0%
1993	0.022	+0.0%
1994	0.022	+0.0%
1995	0.022	+0.0%
1996	0.022	+0.0%
1997	0.022	+0.0%
1998	0.022	+0.0%
1999	0.022	+0.0%
2000	0.022	+0.0%
2001	0.022	+0.0%
2002	0.022	+0.0%
2003	0.022	+0.0%
2004	0.023	+4.5%
2005	0.023	+0.0%
2006	0.023	+0.0%
2007	0.023	+0.0%
2008	0.023	+0.0%
2009	0.022	-4.3%
2010	0.022	+0.0%
2011	0.022	+0.0%
2012	0.022	+0.0%
2013	0.022	+0.0%
2014	0.021	-4.5%
2015	0.021	+0.0%
2016	0.021	+0.0%
2017	0.021	+0.0%
2018	0.021	+0.0%
2019	0.022	+4.8%
2020	0.027	+22.7%
2021	0.023	-14.8%
2022	0.024	+4.3%
2023	0.023	-4.2%
2024	0.028	+21.7%
2025	0.025	-10.7%

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.048	0.048	0.048	1
1790s	0.048	0.048	0.048	10
1800s	0.048	0.048	0.048	10
1810s	0.048	0.048	0.048	10
1820s	0.048	0.048	0.048	10
1830s	0.048	0.048	0.048	10
1840s	0.048	0.048	0.048	10
1850s	0.048	0.048	0.048	10
1860s	0.048	0.048	0.048	10
1870s	0.048	0.048	0.048	10
1880s	0.048	0.048	0.048	10
1890s	0.0478	0.039	0.058	10
1900s	0.0386	0.035	0.041	10
1910s	0.032	0.032	0.032	1
1940s	0.0568	0.046	0.079	5
1950s	0.0399	0.032	0.043	10
1960s	0.032	0.032	0.032	10
1970s	0.0247	0.022	0.032	10
1980s	0.0214	0.021	0.023	10
1990s	0.022	0.022	0.022	10
2000s	0.0225	0.022	0.023	10
2010s	0.0215	0.021	0.022	10
2020s	0.025	0.023	0.028	6

Countries ranked near North Korea

168 Qatar 0.039 compare
169 China 0.03 compare
170 Saudi Arabia 0.026 compare
172 Vietnam 0.024 compare
173 Afghanistan 0.023 compare
173 Eritrea 0.023 compare
173 Eswatini 0.023 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for North Korea

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 263 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (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 263 (2025)
Sovereign state gleditsch ward, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -7.07 % change on previous year (2025)
Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index 0.024 (2025)

All data for North Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is freedom of association index in North Korea?: Freedom of association index in North Korea was 0.025 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest freedom of association index recorded in North Korea?: The highest recorded value was 0.079 in 1945.
What is the lowest freedom of association index recorded in North Korea?: The lowest recorded value was 0.021 in 1982.
How does North Korea rank for freedom of association index?: North Korea ranks 171st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is freedom of association index rising or falling in North Korea?: Over the last ten years it is up 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this North Korea data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Association Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Freedom of Association Index in North Korea. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/freedom-of-association-index/korea-dem-people-s-rep/

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About this data

Indicator: Freedom of Association Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,011 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 28 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which parties, including opposition parties, are allowed to form and participate in elections and the extent to which civil society organizations are allowed to form and operate freely.