Freedom of Expression Score in North Korea
North Korea: Freedom of Expression Score was 1 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Freedom of Expression Score in North Korea, 2005–2025
Source: Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, freedom of expression score in North Korea stood at 1. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of expression score in North Korea peaked at 1 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 1, in 2005.
North Korea ranks 116th of 128 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Freedom of Expression Score in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 1 | — |
| 2007 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1 | +0.0% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 1 is below the median for low income countries, which is 3, 33% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 1 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3, 33% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 2010s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| 2020s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is freedom of expression score in North Korea?
- Freedom of expression score in North Korea was 1 in 2025, according to Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom of expression score recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1 in 2005.
- What is the lowest freedom of expression score recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 2005.
- How does North Korea rank for freedom of expression score?
- North Korea ranks 116th out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of expression score rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Expression Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Indicates the extent to which individuals, groups, and the press can express their views free from government interference.