Women Business and the Law Index (WBL) in South Korea
South Korea: Women Business and the Law Index (WBL) was 88.12 in 2023. ▲ Rising
Women Business and the Law Index in South Korea, 1970–2023
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 88.12 for women business and the law index in 2023. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.
The figure is up 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, women business and the law index in South Korea peaked at 88.12 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 38.12, in 1970.
That places South Korea 55th out of 188 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Women Business and the Law Index (WBL) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 38.12 | — |
| 1971 | 38.12 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 38.12 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 38.12 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 44.38 | +16.4% |
| 1975 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 44.38 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 46.88 | +5.6% |
| 1990 | 57.5 | +22.7% |
| 1991 | 57.5 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 57.5 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 57.5 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 57.5 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 57.5 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 57.5 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 60.62 | +5.4% |
| 1998 | 63.12 | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 66.25 | +5.0% |
| 2000 | 66.25 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 66.25 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 66.25 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 66.25 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 71.25 | +7.5% |
| 2005 | 76.25 | +7.0% |
| 2006 | 79.38 | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 79.38 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 79.38 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 79.38 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 85 | +7.1% |
| 2011 | 85 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 85 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 85 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 85 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 85 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 85 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 85 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 85 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 85 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 85 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 88.12 | +3.7% |
| 2022 | 88.12 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 88.12 | +0.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 88.12 is below the median for high income countries, which is 91.56, 96% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 88.12 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 78.12, 1.1× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 41.88 | 38.12 | 44.38 | 10 |
| 1980s | 44.62 | 44.38 | 46.88 | 10 |
| 1990s | 59.25 | 57.5 | 66.25 | 10 |
| 2000s | 73 | 66.25 | 79.38 | 10 |
| 2010s | 85 | 85 | 85 | 10 |
| 2020s | 87.34 | 85 | 88.12 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 55 Switzerland 88.12 compare
- 55 Georgia 88.12 compare
- 55 Vietnam 88.12 compare
- 55 South Africa 88.12 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)
- 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 women business and the law index in South Korea?
- Women business and the law index in South Korea was 88.12 in 2023, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest women business and the law index recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 88.12 in 2021.
- What is the lowest women business and the law index recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.12 in 1970.
- How does South Korea rank for women business and the law index?
- South Korea ranks 55th out of 188 countries with data for 2023.
- Is women business and the law index rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Women Business and the Law Index (WBL). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
Data on the legal rights that affects women's economic empowerment.