South Korea vs United States: Civil liberties rating
South Korea
2
in 2025
United States
2
in 2025
South Korea rank
121st
United States rank
121st
Civil liberties rating over time
- South Korea
- United States
How they compare
South Korea currently reports 2 against 2 in United States, a difference of 0.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 53 shared years of data; in 1972 it was South Korea ahead.
South Korea ranks 121st and United States ranks 121st of 199 countries.
South Korea has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Korea | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.5 | 1 | 4.5 | South Korea |
| 1980s | 4.67 | 1 | 3.67 | South Korea |
| 1990s | 2.3 | 1 | 1.3 | South Korea |
| 2000s | 2 | 1 | 1 | South Korea |
| 2010s | 2 | 1 | 1 | South Korea |
| 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 United States?
- South Korea, at 2 against 2 in United States as of 2025.
- What is the difference in civil liberties rating between South Korea and United States?
- 0, with South Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and United States?
- 53 years are reported by both, from 1972 to 2025.
- How do South Korea and United States rank globally for civil liberties rating?
- South Korea ranks 121st and United States 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.