Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Rule of Law
Rule of Law RL.EST
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's rule of law was -1.65 in 2025, ranked 192nd globally. This represents a 0.4% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank WGI, covering 1996–2025.
Overview
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's rule of law stood at -1.65 in 2025, a decline of +0.01 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach -1.65 by 2025. Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of ranked 192nd globally.
North Korea’s Rule of Law score has slipped to –1.65 in 2025, placing it 192nd globally and tying it with Haiti among the lowest‑ranked states in the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators. The metric, which has been tracked for 26 years, fell from a modest high of –1.07 in 2000, the only period when the country briefly approached the middle of the distribution, to an all‑time low of –1.72 in 2017, before a modest rebound that still leaves the system far below international norms. The persistent decline reflects entrenched deficiencies in judicial independence, contract enforcement and protection of property rights, conditions that are echoed in similarly low‑scoring peers such as Afghanistan (–1.61) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (–1.56). While the recent improvement suggests a slight easing of the most severe constraints, any substantive upward shift will require structural reforms that enhance legal transparency, reduce political interference in courts and align domestic statutes with recognized international standards.
Data & projection
| Year | Rule of Law | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | -1.65 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | -1.65 | - | - |
| 2025 | -1.65 | −0.01 | #192 |
| 2023 | -1.64 | +0.02 | #192 |
| 2022 | -1.66 | −0.03 | #194 |
| 2021 | -1.64 | −0.03 | #194 |
| 2020 | -1.61 | +0.05 | #194 |
| 2019 | -1.66 | −0.02 | #194 |
| 2018 | -1.64 | +0.08 | #194 |
| 2017 | -1.72 | −0.05 | #197 |
| 2016 | -1.67 | −0.02 | #197 |
| 2015 | -1.66 | −0.04 | #200 |
| 2014 | -1.62 | −0.24 | #198 |
| 2013 | -1.38 | −0.03 | #191 |
| 2012 | -1.35 | +0.03 | #190 |
| 2011 | -1.39 | −0.00 | #192 |
| 2010 | -1.38 | −0.04 | #191 |
Analysis
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's rule of law was -1.65 in 2025, a decline of −0.01 from 2024. Based on trends, estimated -1.65 by 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's rule of law was -1.65 in 2025. Ranked 192nd globally. This represents a 0.4% decrease from the previous year.
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's rule of law peaked at -1.07 in 2000.
The lowest rule of law in Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of was -1.72 in 2017.
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of ranks 192nd globally in rule of law as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is RL.EST. Data sourced from World Bank WGI.
Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of's rule of law is projected to reach -1.65 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The rule of law of Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of in 2025 was -1.65. This ranks 192nd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_korea-democratic-people-s-republic-of_rule-of-law,
title = {Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Rule of Law},
url = {https://historysaid.com/korea-democratic-people-s-republic-of/rule-of-law/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}