North Korea scores 21.7/100 on the 2023 RSF World Press Freedom Index, ranking #180 globally. Freedom House rates it Not Free (3/100). Context: pop 25.7 million, GDP $32.10B.
2023 Press Freedom Scorecard
Overall score and global position
In the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, North Korea scores 21.72 out of 100 and ranks #180 globally — one of the most restricted press environments in the world. Of the 25 Freedom House indicators, North Korea earns 0 at the maximum 4/4 and 22 at 0/4; its strongest category is Personal Autonomy (3/16) and its weakest is Rule of Law (0/16).
21.7 / 100
Composite index comparison
Press freedom score — higher is freer.
Elections, political pluralism, government functioning.
Freedom of expression, association, rule of law, personal autonomy.
Academic press-freedom index from the Varieties of Democracy project (0–1 rescaled to 0–100).
Five-year RSF trend
Over 2019–2023, North Korea moved from 16.60 to 21.72 on the RSF scale (a gain of 5.12 points). The lowest recorded score was 13.92 and the highest was 21.72.
Year-over-year RSF movement
North Korea's biggest single-year RSF movement in the 2019–2023 window was a gain of 7.80 points between 2022 (13.92) and 2023 (21.72).
| Years | From | To | Δ score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 → 2020 | 16.60 | 14.18 | ▼ -2.42 |
| 2020 → 2021 | 14.18 | 18.72 | ▲ 4.54 |
| 2021 → 2022 | 18.72 | 13.92 | ▼ -4.80 |
| 2022 → 2023 | 13.92 | 21.72 | ▲ 7.80 |
Full socio-economic dashboard
Demographics & geography
Economy & labour
Health
Education
Administration
All socio-economic indicators from the World Bank country dataset (2023 snapshot).
Democratic Rights & Civil Liberties
Freedom status explained
Freedom House classifies North Korea as Not Free with a 2024 aggregate score of 3/100 — basic political rights and civil liberties are widely denied.
Within Freedom House's Asia region (43 countries), North Korea ranks #42 on the latest aggregate score — the 2nd percentile. The region leaders are New Zealand, Japan, Australia.
Political Rights vs Civil Liberties
Rating 7 of 7 (1 = best)
Rating 7 of 7 (1 = best)
Civil liberties are rated higher than political rights — everyday freedoms are better protected than the formal political framework (elections, pluralism, government functioning).
Twelve-year Freedom House trend
Between 2013 and 2024, Freedom House moved North Korea from Not Free (Not Free, 3/100) to Not Free (Not Free, 3/100).
Latest A–G indicator scorecard
Electoral Process
PR
-
A1Free and fair head-of-government elections
0/4
-
A2Free and fair legislative elections
0/4
-
A3Electoral laws and framework
0/4
Political Pluralism & Participation
PR
-
B1Right to organise in political parties
0/4
-
B2Opposition can realistically gain power
0/4
-
B3Free political choice without domination
0/4
-
B4Political rights of minorities
0/4
Functioning of Government
PR
-
C1Elected officials determine government policy
0/4
-
C2Safeguards against corruption
0/4
-
C3Transparency of government
0/4
Freedom of Expression & Belief
CL
-
D1Free and independent media
0/4
-
D2Freedom of religious expression
0/4
-
D3Academic freedom
0/4
-
D4Free private discussion
0/4
Associational & Organisational Rights
CL
-
E1Freedom of assembly
0/4
-
E2Freedom for NGOs
0/4
-
E3Free trade unions
0/4
Rule of Law
CL
-
F1Independent judiciary
0/4
-
F2Due process in civil and criminal matters
0/4
-
F3Protection from illegitimate force
0/4
-
F4Equal treatment under the law
0/4
Personal Autonomy & Individual Rights
CL
-
G1Freedom of movement
0/4
-
G2Property rights
1/4
-
G3Personal social freedoms
1/4
-
G4Equality of opportunity
1/4
Each indicator is scored 0–4 by Freedom House analysts; category subtotals combine into the Political Rights (A + B + C = 0–40) and Civil Liberties (D + E + F + G = 0–60) aggregates shown above. 2024 edition.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did North Korea see its biggest RSF press-freedom change?
The sharpest single-year shift was an improvement of 7.80 points between 2022 (13.92) and 2023 (21.72) on the RSF index.
How does North Korea rank within its Freedom House region?
North Korea holds position #42 of 43 in the Asia region on the latest Freedom House aggregate score. The region's top country is New Zealand (99/100).
What is North Korea's economic context for its press freedom score?
North Korea has a GDP of $32.10B across a population of 25.7 million, giving a per-capita GDP of about $1,251. Its capital is Pyongyang; the official language is Korean.