What is the highest competitiveness of executive recruitment score recorded in South Korea?

The highest recorded value was 3 in 1960.

What is the lowest competitiveness of executive recruitment score recorded in South Korea?

The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1961.

How does South Korea rank for competitiveness of executive recruitment score?

South Korea ranks 1st out of 166 countries with data for 2018.

Is competitiveness of executive recruitment score 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 Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Competitiveness of Executive Recruitment Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Competitiveness of Executive Recruitment Score in South Korea

Name: Competitiveness of Executive Recruitment Score in South Korea
Creator: Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Korea: Competitiveness of Executive Recruitment Score was 3 in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

1st

of 166 countries

All-time high

in 1960

All-time low

in 1961

Years of data

1948–2018

Competitiveness of Executive Recruitment Score in South Korea, 1948–2018

Source: Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

South Korea recorded 3 for competitiveness of executive recruitment score in 2018. That is the highest value across all 70 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, competitiveness of executive recruitment score in South Korea peaked at 3 in 1960 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1961.

That places South Korea 1st out of 166 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 70 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1940s	1	1	1	2
1950s	1	1	1	10
1960s	2.4	0	3	10
1970s	1.4	1	3	10
1980s	1.22	1	2	9
1990s	2.2	2	3	10
2000s	3	3	3	10
2010s	3	3	3	9

Countries ranked near South Korea

See the full ranking of 167 places →

More reference data data for South Korea

Temperature anomalies by month -0.8996 °C (2026)
Spring temperature anomalies 1.1 °C (2026)
Summer temperature anomalies 0.7164 °C (2026)
Winter temperature anomalies 0.9115 °C (2025)
Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
Autumn temperature anomalies 2.24 °C (2025)
Consumer price index 135 2010 = 100 (2025)
Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Elected parliament 1 (2025)

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is competitiveness of executive recruitment score in South Korea?: Competitiveness of executive recruitment score in South Korea was 3 in 2018, according to Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest competitiveness of executive recruitment score recorded in South Korea?: The highest recorded value was 3 in 1960.
What is the lowest competitiveness of executive recruitment score recorded in South Korea?: The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1961.
How does South Korea rank for competitiveness of executive recruitment score?: South Korea ranks 1st out of 166 countries with data for 2018.
Is competitiveness of executive recruitment score 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 Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Competitiveness of Executive Recruitment Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 70 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Competitiveness of Executive Recruitment Score
Source: Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 167 places, 17,813 data points, 1789–2020
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Indicates the extent to which executive recruitment is competitive. It ranges from executive power being seized (score of 0), over the executive being selected by elites (score of 1), and dual selection-election or transitional arrangements (score of 2), to the executive being elected (score of 4).