Share of women in parliament in South Korea
South Korea: Share of women in parliament was 20.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
20.3%
Change on year
up 1.5%
World rank
116th
of 174 countries
All-time high
20.3%
in 2025
All-time low
0.4%
in 1960
Years of data
78
1948–2025
Share of women in parliament in South Korea, 1948–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of women in parliament in South Korea is 20.3%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 78 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 24.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women in parliament in South Korea peaked at 20.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1960.
South Korea ranks 116th of 174 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of women in parliament in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 0.5% | — |
| 1949 | 0.5% | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 1.0% | +100.0% |
| 1951 | 1.0% | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 1.0% | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 1.0% | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.5% | -50.0% |
| 1955 | 0.5% | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.5% | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.5% | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 1.3% | +160.0% |
| 1959 | 1.3% | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.4% | -69.2% |
| 1961 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.4% | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1.1% | +175.0% |
| 1964 | 1.1% | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.1% | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.1% | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.7% | +54.5% |
| 1968 | 1.7% | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.7% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.7% | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 2.5% | +47.1% |
| 1972 | 2.5% | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 5.5% | +120.0% |
| 1974 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 3.5% | -36.4% |
| 1979 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 3.5% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 3.3% | -5.7% |
| 1982 | 3.3% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 3.3% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 3.3% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 2.9% | -12.1% |
| 1986 | 2.9% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2.9% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2.0% | -31.0% |
| 1989 | 2.0% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 2.0% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 2.0% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 2.0% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2.0% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 2.0% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 2.0% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 3.0% | +50.0% |
| 1997 | 3.0% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 3.0% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 3.0% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 13.0% | +333.2% |
| 2001 | 13.0% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 13.0% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 13.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 13.0% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 13.0% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 13.0% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 14.4% | +10.3% |
| 2008 | 13.7% | -4.7% |
| 2009 | 13.7% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 14.7% | +7.4% |
| 2011 | 13.7% | -6.9% |
| 2012 | 15.7% | +14.3% |
| 2013 | 15.7% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 16.3% | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 16.3% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 17.0% | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 17.0% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 17.1% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 16.7% | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 19.0% | +14.0% |
| 2021 | 12.8% | -32.6% |
| 2022 | 19.1% | +48.9% |
| 2023 | 19.1% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 20.0% | +4.9% |
| 2025 | 20.3% | +1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 2 |
| 1950s | 0.9% | 0.5% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.1% | 0.4% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.1% | 1.7% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.9% | 2.0% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.4% | 2.0% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.3% | 13.0% | 14.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.0% | 13.7% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.4% | 12.8% | 20.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 113 Ukraine 21.2% compare
- 114 Bangladesh 20.9% compare
- 115 Azerbaijan 20.8% compare
- 117 Bahrain 20.0% compare
- 117 Guatemala 20.0% compare
- 119 Saudi Arabia 19.9% compare
- 119 Turkey 19.9% compare
More gender data for South Korea
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 4,318 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -3.79 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 119,025 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 125,732 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 116,471 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 122,813 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 119,098 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 125,514 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 124,678 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 131,322 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women in parliament in South Korea?
- Share of women in parliament in South Korea was 20.3% in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women in parliament recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 20.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of women in parliament recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1960.
- How does South Korea rank for share of women in parliament?
- South Korea ranks 116th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of women in parliament rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.3%. 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 Share of women in parliament. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of women in the lower or single chamber of the legislature.