Tax revenue vs. Electoral Democracy Index in South Korea
South Korea: Tax revenue vs. Electoral Democracy Index was 0.819 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Tax revenue vs. Electoral Democracy Index in South Korea, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, tax revenue vs. electoral democracy index in South Korea stood at 0.819.
The figure is up 13.1% on the previous year and up 16.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tax revenue vs. electoral democracy index in South Korea peaked at 0.857 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.012, in 1911.
That places South Korea 24th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Tax revenue vs. Electoral Democracy Index in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.015 | — |
| 1790 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1791 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1793 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 0.017 | +13.3% |
| 1882 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.018 | +5.9% |
| 1896 | 0.05 | +177.8% |
| 1897 | 0.036 | -28.0% |
| 1898 | 0.033 | -8.3% |
| 1899 | 0.027 | -18.2% |
| 1900 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1901 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.02 | -25.9% |
| 1905 | 0.018 | -10.0% |
| 1906 | 0.017 | -5.6% |
| 1907 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.017 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.013 | -23.5% |
| 1911 | 0.012 | -7.7% |
| 1912 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.014 | +16.7% |
| 1920 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.013 | -7.1% |
| 1942 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.013 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.076 | +484.6% |
| 1946 | 0.088 | +15.8% |
| 1947 | 0.081 | -8.0% |
| 1948 | 0.137 | +69.1% |
| 1949 | 0.26 | +89.8% |
| 1950 | 0.253 | -2.7% |
| 1951 | 0.252 | -0.4% |
| 1952 | 0.252 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.253 | +0.4% |
| 1954 | 0.261 | +3.2% |
| 1955 | 0.261 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.257 | -1.5% |
| 1957 | 0.257 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.261 | +1.6% |
| 1959 | 0.261 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.331 | +26.8% |
| 1961 | 0.216 | -34.7% |
| 1962 | 0.163 | -24.5% |
| 1963 | 0.175 | +7.4% |
| 1964 | 0.273 | +56.0% |
| 1965 | 0.273 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.273 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.276 | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 0.278 | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 0.278 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.276 | -0.7% |
| 1971 | 0.274 | -0.7% |
| 1972 | 0.231 | -15.7% |
| 1973 | 0.208 | -10.0% |
| 1974 | 0.211 | +1.4% |
| 1975 | 0.211 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.209 | -0.9% |
| 1977 | 0.209 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.209 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.208 | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 0.199 | -4.3% |
| 1981 | 0.21 | +5.5% |
| 1982 | 0.22 | +4.8% |
| 1983 | 0.228 | +3.6% |
| 1984 | 0.245 | +7.5% |
| 1985 | 0.303 | +23.7% |
| 1986 | 0.312 | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 0.38 | +21.8% |
| 1988 | 0.616 | +62.1% |
| 1989 | 0.646 | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 0.647 | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 0.647 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.651 | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 0.724 | +11.2% |
| 1994 | 0.731 | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 0.731 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.736 | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 0.743 | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 0.804 | +8.2% |
| 1999 | 0.811 | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 0.829 | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 0.833 | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 0.833 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.835 | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 0.834 | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 0.834 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.834 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.834 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.759 | -9.0% |
| 2009 | 0.759 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.762 | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 0.762 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.753 | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 0.716 | -4.9% |
| 2014 | 0.705 | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 0.705 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.718 | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 0.852 | +18.7% |
| 2018 | 0.857 | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 0.842 | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 0.85 | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 0.852 | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 0.802 | -5.9% |
| 2023 | 0.722 | -10.0% |
| 2024 | 0.724 | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 0.819 | +13.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.819 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.786, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.819 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.4645, 1.8× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.0168 | 0.015 | 0.017 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.0249 | 0.017 | 0.05 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.0214 | 0.017 | 0.027 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.0123 | 0.012 | 0.014 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.014 | 0.014 | 0.014 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.014 | 0.014 | 0.014 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0708 | 0.013 | 0.26 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.2568 | 0.252 | 0.261 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2536 | 0.163 | 0.331 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2246 | 0.208 | 0.276 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3359 | 0.199 | 0.646 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7225 | 0.647 | 0.811 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8184 | 0.759 | 0.835 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7672 | 0.705 | 0.857 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7948 | 0.722 | 0.852 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More economy & growth data for South Korea
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 7.89 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0085 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 307.17 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 2.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0062 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 224.29 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0047 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per capita 168.75 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, SDR, annual growth rate -0.4147 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tax revenue vs. electoral democracy index in South Korea?
- Tax revenue vs. electoral democracy index in South Korea was 0.819 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest tax revenue vs. electoral democracy index recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 0.857 in 2018.
- What is the lowest tax revenue vs. electoral democracy index recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.012 in 1911.
- How does South Korea rank for tax revenue vs. electoral democracy index?
- South Korea ranks 24th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is tax revenue vs. electoral democracy index rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.2%. 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 Tax revenue vs. Electoral Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which political leaders are elected under comprehensive suffrage in free and fair elections, and freedoms of association and expression are guaranteed.