Share of women in parliament (V-Dem) in Korea
Korea: Share of women in parliament (V-Dem) 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 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 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 Korea peaked at 20.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1960.
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 (V-Dem) in 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% |
Korea compared with similar countries
- Korea's 20.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 31.3%, 65% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Korea's 20.3% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 20.0%, 1.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
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 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 Türkiye 19.9% compare
More gender data for 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)
- Population 46,871 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 46,871 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.0957 % 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women in parliament in Korea?
- Share of women in parliament in 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 Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 20.3% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of women in parliament recorded in Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1960.
- How does Korea rank for share of women in parliament?
- Korea ranks 116th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of women in parliament rising or falling in Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this 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.