LGBT+ Rights Index in North Korea
North Korea: LGBT+ Rights Index was -0.3625 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
LGBT+ Rights Index in North Korea, 1991–2025
Source: Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lgbt+ rights index in North Korea is -0.3625, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 129.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, lgbt+ rights index in North Korea peaked at 1.25 in 1991 and was at its lowest, -0.3625, in 2018.
That places North Korea 128th out of 194 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.
LGBT+ Rights Index in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.25 | — |
| 1992 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.25 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | -0.3625 | -129.0% |
| 2019 | -0.3625 | -0.0% |
| 2020 | -0.3625 | -0.0% |
| 2021 | -0.3625 | -0.0% |
| 2022 | -0.3625 | -0.0% |
| 2023 | -0.3625 | -0.0% |
| 2024 | -0.3625 | -0.0% |
| 2025 | -0.3625 | -0.0% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's -0.3625 is above the median for low income countries, which is -1.52, 24% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's -0.3625 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.25. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.25 | 1.25 | 1.25 | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.25 | 1.25 | 1.25 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9275 | -0.3625 | 1.25 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.3625 | -0.3625 | -0.3625 | 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 lgbt+ rights index in North Korea?
- Lgbt+ rights index in North Korea was -0.3625 in 2025, according to Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lgbt+ rights index recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 1.25 in 1991.
- What is the lowest lgbt+ rights index recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.3625 in 2018.
- How does North Korea rank for lgbt+ rights index?
- North Korea ranks 128th out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is lgbt+ rights index rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 129.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Velasco (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of LGBT+ Rights Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Summary measure of a country's LGBTI-related laws, calculated by subtracting the sum of its regressive policy scores from the sum of its progressive policy scores.