Gender Inequality Index in South Korea
South Korea: Gender Inequality Index was 0.038 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Gender Inequality Index in South Korea, 1990–2023
Source: UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2023, gender inequality index in South Korea stood at 0.038. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of down 5.0% on the previous year and down 47.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, gender inequality index in South Korea peaked at 0.314 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 0.038, in 2023.
That places South Korea 158th out of 169 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.2801 | 0.237 | 0.314 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1285 | 0.08 | 0.187 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0663 | 0.051 | 0.08 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.04 | 0.038 | 0.042 | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More poverty & inequality data for South Korea
- Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 6 surveys (2025)
- Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 0.72 live births per woman (2023)
- Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 6,615 kg per hectare (2023)
- Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 26.9% (2023)
- Share of government consumption in GDP vs. share of population living in extreme poverty 18.6% (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient in women 0.0683 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient by sex 0.0683 (2023)
- Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient in men 0.0778 (2023)
- Income inequality: Atkinson index 0.1642 (2023)
- Poverty headcount ratio at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) 0.1% (2021)
Frequently asked questions
- What is gender inequality index in South Korea?
- Gender inequality index in South Korea was 0.038 in 2023, according to UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest gender inequality index recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 0.314 in 1990.
- What is the lowest gender inequality index recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.038 in 2023.
- How does South Korea rank for gender inequality index?
- South Korea ranks 158th out of 169 countries with data for 2023.
- Is gender inequality index rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 47.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from UNDP, Human Development Report (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gender Inequality Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 34 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This index captures gender-based disadvantage in reproductive health, empowerment and the labour market; ranges from 0 (full equality) to 1 (maximum inequality), representing the share of potential human development lost because of gender gaps.