South Korea vs South Africa: Civil liberties rating
South Korea
2
in 2025
South Africa
2
in 2025
South Korea rank
121st
South Africa rank
121st
Civil liberties rating over time
- South Korea
- South Africa
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 2 against 2 in South Africa, a difference of 0.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 53 shared years of data; in 1972 it was South Africa ahead.
South Korea ranks 121st and South Africa ranks 121st of 199 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Korea | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.5 | 5.5 | 0 | — |
| 1980s | 4.67 | 5.89 | 1.22 | South Africa |
| 1990s | 2.3 | 2.9 | 0.6 | South Africa |
| 2000s | 2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2010s | 2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2020s | 2 | 2 | 0 | — |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher civil liberties rating, South Korea or South Africa?
- South Korea, at 2 against 2 in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in civil liberties rating between South Korea and South Africa?
- 0, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and South Africa?
- 53 years are reported by both, from 1972 to 2025.
- How do South Korea and South Africa rank globally for civil liberties rating?
- South Korea ranks 121st and South Africa ranks 121st of 199 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Civil liberties rating. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Identifies the extent of freedom of expression and association, the rule of law, and personal autonomy. Lower ratings indicate more liberties.