Judicial Corruption Score in North Korea
North Korea: Judicial Corruption Score was -0.931 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
-0.931
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
125th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.344
in 1945
All-time low
-1.34
in 1995
Years of data
81
1945–2025
Judicial Corruption Score in North Korea, 1945–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, judicial corruption score in North Korea stood at -0.931.
That represents a change of up 30.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, judicial corruption score in North Korea peaked at 0.344 in 1945 and was at its lowest, -1.34, in 1995.
That places North Korea 125th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Judicial Corruption Score in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1945 | 0.344 | — |
| 1946 | -0.211 | -161.3% |
| 1947 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1954 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -0.211 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -0.64 | +203.3% |
| 1989 | -0.64 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -0.64 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -0.64 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -0.64 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -0.64 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -0.64 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -1.34 | +109.2% |
| 1996 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | -1.34 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | -0.931 | -30.5% |
| 2020 | -0.931 | -0.0% |
| 2021 | -0.931 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | -0.931 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | -0.931 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -0.931 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -0.931 | -0.0% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's -0.931 is above the median for low income countries, which is -0.955, 97% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's -0.931 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.5635. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | -0.1 | -0.211 | 0.344 | 5 |
| 1950s | -0.211 | -0.211 | -0.211 | 10 |
| 1960s | -0.211 | -0.211 | -0.211 | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.211 | -0.211 | -0.211 | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.2968 | -0.64 | -0.211 | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.9895 | -1.34 | -0.64 | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.34 | -1.34 | -1.34 | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.3 | -1.34 | -0.931 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.931 | -0.931 | -0.931 | 6 |
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 judicial corruption score in North Korea?
- Judicial corruption score in North Korea was -0.931 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest judicial corruption score recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 0.344 in 1945.
- What is the lowest judicial corruption score recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.34 in 1995.
- How does North Korea rank for judicial corruption score?
- North Korea ranks 125th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is judicial corruption score rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 30.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Judicial Corruption Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 81 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Data by V-Dem. Expert estimates of how often individuals or businesses make undocumented extra payments or bribes to obtain a favorable judicial decision, or speed up or delay the process. Higher scores mean less corruption. A score of 0 is approximately the average across all countries and years.