LGBT+ Rights Index in South Korea
South Korea: LGBT+ Rights Index was 2.94 in 2019. ▲ Rising
LGBT+ Rights Index in South Korea, 1991–2019
Source: Velasco (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for lgbt+ rights index in South Korea is 2.94, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, lgbt+ rights index in South Korea peaked at 2.94 in 2007 and was at its lowest, 1.07, in 1991.
South Korea ranks 72nd of 192 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.07 | 1.07 | 1.07 | 9 |
| 2000s | 2.23 | 1.07 | 2.94 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.94 | 2.94 | 2.94 | 10 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 69 Russia 3.02 compare
- 70 Moldova 2.98 compare
- 71 Mozambique 2.96 compare
- 72 Cuba 2.94 compare
- 74 Latvia 2.92 compare
- 75 Azerbaijan 2.07 compare
- 75 Central African Republic 2.07 compare
- 75 Equatorial Guinea 2.07 compare
- 75 Guatemala 2.07 compare
- 75 Guinea-Bissau 2.07 compare
- 75 Haiti 2.07 compare
- 75 India 2.07 compare
- 75 Jordan 2.07 compare
- 75 Kazakhstan 2.07 compare
- 75 Laos 2.07 compare
- 75 Lesotho 2.07 compare
- 75 Mali 2.07 compare
- 75 Marshall Islands 2.07 compare
- 75 Micronesia (country) 2.07 compare
- 75 Nauru 2.07 compare
- 75 North Korea 2.07 compare
- 75 North Macedonia 2.07 compare
- 75 Sao Tome and Principe 2.07 compare
- 75 Suriname 2.07 compare
- 75 Tajikistan 2.07 compare
- 75 Ukraine 2.07 compare
- 75 Vanuatu 2.07 compare
- 75 Venezuela 2.07 compare
- 75 Vietnam 2.07 compare
More social development data for South Korea
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 4,407 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 117 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Key features of democracy 0.819 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.933 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.839 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.819 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.551 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.739 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is lgbt+ rights index in South Korea?
- Lgbt+ rights index in South Korea was 2.94 in 2019, according to Velasco (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest lgbt+ rights index recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.94 in 2007.
- What is the lowest lgbt+ rights index recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.07 in 1991.
- How does South Korea rank for lgbt+ rights index?
- South Korea ranks 72nd out of 192 countries with data for 2019.
- Is lgbt+ rights index rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Velasco (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – 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 — 29 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The LGBT+ Policy Index measures a country’s LGBT+ policy landscape by capturing the implementation of 18 different LGBT+ policies. Policies included in the index are limited to those adopted across at least three countries or are explicitly advocated for by transnational activists.