Chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections in South Korea

South Korea: Chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections was 1 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
1
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 176 countries
All-time high
1
in 1948
All-time low
0
in 1789
Years of data
237
1789–2025

Chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections in South Korea, 1789–2025

00.20.40.60.81178919072025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections in South Korea stood at 1. That is the highest value across all 237 years on record.

The figure is unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections in South Korea peaked at 1 in 1948 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1789.

That places South Korea 1st out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections in South Korea, year by year

Annual values for Chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections in South Korea, 1789 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1789 0 —
1790 0 —
1791 0 —
1792 0 —
1793 0 —
1794 0 —
1795 0 —
1796 0 —
1797 0 —
1798 0 —
1799 0 —
1800 0 —
1801 0 —
1802 0 —
1803 0 —
1804 0 —
1805 0 —
1806 0 —
1807 0 —
1808 0 —
1809 0 —
1810 0 —
1811 0 —
1812 0 —
1813 0 —
1814 0 —
1815 0 —
1816 0 —
1817 0 —
1818 0 —
1819 0 —
1820 0 —
1821 0 —
1822 0 —
1823 0 —
1824 0 —
1825 0 —
1826 0 —
1827 0 —
1828 0 —
1829 0 —
1830 0 —
1831 0 —
1832 0 —
1833 0 —
1834 0 —
1835 0 —
1836 0 —
1837 0 —
1838 0 —
1839 0 —
1840 0 —
1841 0 —
1842 0 —
1843 0 —
1844 0 —
1845 0 —
1846 0 —
1847 0 —
1848 0 —
1849 0 —
1850 0 —
1851 0 —
1852 0 —
1853 0 —
1854 0 —
1855 0 —
1856 0 —
1857 0 —
1858 0 —
1859 0 —
1860 0 —
1861 0 —
1862 0 —
1863 0 —
1864 0 —
1865 0 —
1866 0 —
1867 0 —
1868 0 —
1869 0 —
1870 0 —
1871 0 —
1872 0 —
1873 0 —
1874 0 —
1875 0 —
1876 0 —
1877 0 —
1878 0 —
1879 0 —
1880 0 —
1881 0 —
1882 0 —
1883 0 —
1884 0 —
1885 0 —
1886 0 —
1887 0 —
1888 0 —
1889 0 —
1890 0 —
1891 0 —
1892 0 —
1893 0 —
1894 0 —
1895 0 —
1896 0 —
1897 0 —
1898 0 —
1899 0 —
1900 0 —
1901 0 —
1902 0 —
1903 0 —
1904 0 —
1905 0 —
1906 0 —
1907 0 —
1908 0 —
1909 0 —
1910 0 —
1911 0 —
1912 0 —
1913 0 —
1914 0 —
1915 0 —
1916 0 —
1917 0 —
1918 0 —
1919 0 —
1920 0 —
1921 0 —
1922 0 —
1923 0 —
1924 0 —
1925 0 —
1926 0 —
1927 0 —
1928 0 —
1929 0 —
1930 0 —
1931 0 —
1932 0 —
1933 0 —
1934 0 —
1935 0 —
1936 0 —
1937 0 —
1938 0 —
1939 0 —
1940 0 —
1941 0 —
1942 0 —
1943 0 —
1944 0 —
1945 0 —
1946 0 —
1947 0 —
1948 1 —
1949 1 +0.0%
1950 1 +0.0%
1951 1 +0.0%
1952 1 +0.0%
1953 1 +0.0%
1954 1 +0.0%
1955 1 +0.0%
1956 1 +0.0%
1957 1 +0.0%
1958 1 +0.0%
1959 1 +0.0%
1960 1 +0.0%
1961 1 +0.0%
1962 0 -100.0%
1963 1 —
1964 1 +0.0%
1965 1 +0.0%
1966 1 +0.0%
1967 1 +0.0%
1968 1 +0.0%
1969 1 +0.0%
1970 1 +0.0%
1971 1 +0.0%
1972 1 +0.0%
1973 1 +0.0%
1974 1 +0.0%
1975 1 +0.0%
1976 1 +0.0%
1977 1 +0.0%
1978 1 +0.0%
1979 1 +0.0%
1980 1 +0.0%
1981 1 +0.0%
1982 1 +0.0%
1983 1 +0.0%
1984 1 +0.0%
1985 1 +0.0%
1986 1 +0.0%
1987 1 +0.0%
1988 1 +0.0%
1989 1 +0.0%
1990 1 +0.0%
1991 1 +0.0%
1992 1 +0.0%
1993 1 +0.0%
1994 1 +0.0%
1995 1 +0.0%
1996 1 +0.0%
1997 1 +0.0%
1998 1 +0.0%
1999 1 +0.0%
2000 1 +0.0%
2001 1 +0.0%
2002 1 +0.0%
2003 1 +0.0%
2004 1 +0.0%
2005 1 +0.0%
2006 1 +0.0%
2007 1 +0.0%
2008 1 +0.0%
2009 1 +0.0%
2010 1 +0.0%
2011 1 +0.0%
2012 1 +0.0%
2013 1 +0.0%
2014 1 +0.0%
2015 1 +0.0%
2016 1 +0.0%
2017 1 +0.0%
2018 1 +0.0%
2019 1 +0.0%
2020 1 +0.0%
2021 1 +0.0%
2022 1 +0.0%
2023 1 +0.0%
2024 1 +0.0%
2025 1 +0.0%

South Korea compared with similar countries

  • South Korea's 1 is above the median for high income countries, which is 1, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
  • South Korea's 1 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1, 1.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1780s 0 0 0 1
1790s 0 0 0 10
1800s 0 0 0 10
1810s 0 0 0 10
1820s 0 0 0 10
1830s 0 0 0 10
1840s 0 0 0 10
1850s 0 0 0 10
1860s 0 0 0 10
1870s 0 0 0 10
1880s 0 0 0 10
1890s 0 0 0 10
1900s 0 0 0 10
1910s 0 0 0 10
1920s 0 0 0 10
1930s 0 0 0 10
1940s 0.2 0 1 10
1950s 1 1 1 10
1960s 0.9 0 1 10
1970s 1 1 1 10
1980s 1 1 1 10
1990s 1 1 1 10
2000s 1 1 1 10
2010s 1 1 1 10
2020s 1 1 1 6

Countries ranked near South Korea

  1. 1 Albania 1 compare
  2. 1 Algeria 1 compare
  3. 1 Angola 1 compare
  4. 1 Argentina 1 compare
  5. 1 Armenia 1 compare
  6. 1 Australia 1 compare
  7. 1 Austria 1 compare
  8. 1 Azerbaijan 1 compare
  9. 1 Barbados 1 compare
  10. 1 Belgium 1 compare
  11. 1 Benin 1 compare
  12. 1 Bhutan 1 compare
  13. 1 Bolivia 1 compare
  14. 1 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 compare
  15. 1 Botswana 1 compare
  16. 1 Brazil 1 compare
  17. 1 Bulgaria 1 compare
  18. 1 Burundi 1 compare
  19. 1 Cambodia 1 compare
  20. 1 Cameroon 1 compare
  21. 1 Canada 1 compare
  22. 1 Cape Verde 1 compare
  23. 1 Central African Republic 1 compare
  24. 1 Chad 1 compare
  25. 1 Chile 1 compare
  26. 1 Colombia 1 compare
  27. 1 Comoros 1 compare
  28. 1 Congo 1 compare
  29. 1 Costa Rica 1 compare
  30. 1 Cote d'Ivoire 1 compare
  31. 1 Croatia 1 compare
  32. 1 Cyprus 1 compare
  33. 1 Czechia 1 compare
  34. 1 Democratic Republic of Congo 1 compare
  35. 1 Denmark 1 compare
  36. 1 Djibouti 1 compare
  37. 1 Dominican Republic 1 compare
  38. 1 East Timor 1 compare
  39. 1 Ecuador 1 compare
  40. 1 Egypt 1 compare
  41. 1 El Salvador 1 compare
  42. 1 Equatorial Guinea 1 compare
  43. 1 Estonia 1 compare
  44. 1 Ethiopia 1 compare
  45. 1 Fiji 1 compare
  46. 1 Finland 1 compare
  47. 1 France 1 compare
  48. 1 Gabon 1 compare
  49. 1 Gambia 1 compare
  50. 1 Georgia 1 compare
  51. 1 Germany 1 compare
  52. 1 Ghana 1 compare
  53. 1 Greece 1 compare
  54. 1 Guatemala 1 compare
  55. 1 Guyana 1 compare
  56. 1 Honduras 1 compare
  57. 1 Hungary 1 compare
  58. 1 Iceland 1 compare
  59. 1 India 1 compare
  60. 1 Indonesia 1 compare
  61. 1 Iran 1 compare
  62. 1 Iraq 1 compare
  63. 1 Ireland 1 compare
  64. 1 Israel 1 compare
  65. 1 Italy 1 compare
  66. 1 Jamaica 1 compare
  67. 1 Japan 1 compare
  68. 1 Kazakhstan 1 compare
  69. 1 Kenya 1 compare
  70. 1 Kyrgyzstan 1 compare
  71. 1 Latvia 1 compare
  72. 1 Lebanon 1 compare
  73. 1 Lesotho 1 compare
  74. 1 Liberia 1 compare
  75. 1 Lithuania 1 compare
  76. 1 Luxembourg 1 compare
  77. 1 Malawi 1 compare
  78. 1 Malaysia 1 compare
  79. 1 Maldives 1 compare
  80. 1 Malta 1 compare
  81. 1 Mauritania 1 compare
  82. 1 Mauritius 1 compare
  83. 1 Mexico 1 compare
  84. 1 Moldova 1 compare
  85. 1 Mongolia 1 compare
  86. 1 Montenegro 1 compare
  87. 1 Mozambique 1 compare
  88. 1 Namibia 1 compare
  89. 1 Nepal 1 compare
  90. 1 Netherlands 1 compare
  91. 1 New Zealand 1 compare
  92. 1 Nicaragua 1 compare
  93. 1 Nigeria 1 compare
  94. 1 North Macedonia 1 compare
  95. 1 Norway 1 compare
  96. 1 Pakistan 1 compare
  97. 1 Panama 1 compare
  98. 1 Papua New Guinea 1 compare
  99. 1 Paraguay 1 compare
  100. 1 Peru 1 compare
  101. 1 Philippines 1 compare
  102. 1 Poland 1 compare
  103. 1 Portugal 1 compare
  104. 1 Romania 1 compare
  105. 1 Russia 1 compare
  106. 1 Rwanda 1 compare
  107. 1 Sao Tome and Principe 1 compare
  108. 1 Senegal 1 compare
  109. 1 Serbia 1 compare
  110. 1 Seychelles 1 compare
  111. 1 Sierra Leone 1 compare
  112. 1 Singapore 1 compare
  113. 1 Slovakia 1 compare
  114. 1 Slovenia 1 compare
  115. 1 Solomon Islands 1 compare
  116. 1 South Africa 1 compare
  117. 1 Spain 1 compare
  118. 1 Sri Lanka 1 compare
  119. 1 Suriname 1 compare
  120. 1 Sweden 1 compare
  121. 1 Switzerland 1 compare
  122. 1 Taiwan 1 compare
  123. 1 Tajikistan 1 compare
  124. 1 Tanzania 1 compare
  125. 1 Thailand 1 compare
  126. 1 Togo 1 compare
  127. 1 Trinidad and Tobago 1 compare
  128. 1 Tunisia 1 compare
  129. 1 Turkey 1 compare
  130. 1 Turkmenistan 1 compare
  131. 1 Uganda 1 compare
  132. 1 Ukraine 1 compare
  133. 1 United Kingdom 1 compare
  134. 1 United States 1 compare
  135. 1 Uruguay 1 compare
  136. 1 Uzbekistan 1 compare
  137. 1 Vanuatu 1 compare
  138. 1 Venezuela 1 compare
  139. 1 Zambia 1 compare
  140. 1 Zimbabwe 1 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections in South Korea?
Chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections in South Korea was 1 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections recorded in South Korea?
The highest recorded value was 1 in 1948.
What is the lowest chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections recorded in South Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1789.
How does South Korea rank for chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections?
South Korea ranks 1st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections rising or falling in South Korea?
Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Korea data come from?
The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections in South Korea. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 28 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/multi-party-elections-hoe-row/korea-rep/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/multi-party-elections-hoe-row/korea-rep/">Chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections in South Korea</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Chief executive of the government is chosen in multi-party elections
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
176 places, 30,307 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed

Data by Lührmann et al. (2018) and V-Dem. "Chief executive" is defined here as the head of state or the head of government, whoever has more power over the appointment and dismissal of cabinet ministers.