North Korea: Country Profile

Research & Recommendations

Freedom in the World 2026

PR Political Rights	0 40
CL Civil Liberties	3 60

Last Year's Score & Status

3 100 Not Free

A country or territory’s Freedom in the World status depends on its aggregate Political Rights score, on a scale of 0–40, and its aggregate Civil Liberties score, on a scale of 0–60. See the methodology.

Overview

North Korea is a one-party state led by a dynastic totalitarian dictatorship that regularly engages in grave human rights abuses. Surveillance is pervasive, arbitrary arrests and detention are common, and punishments for political offenses are severe. The state runs all media outlets, and freedom of assembly is not recognized. The state maintains a system of camps for political prisoners where torture, forced labor, starvation, and other atrocities take place.

Read the full North Korea Report

Previous Reports: 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026

Freedom in the World 2026 Policy Recommendations

Read all recommendations

Strengthen democratic coordination and collective action in a contested global order

Democratic resilience will increasingly depend on stronger coordination among countries that share a commitment to freedom, the rule of law, and accountable governance.

Reimagine international democracy assistance to help reverse the global decline in freedom

International support for democratic institutions, civil society, and independent media has been associated with modest but meaningful improvements in democratic governance, and it is far less costly than the military outlays necessitated by rising authoritarian aggression.

Prioritize engagement with younger generations in the digital spaces where civic identity is now formed

Young people are increasingly dissatisfied with democracy—not because they reject its principles, but because they see institutions failing to deliver on them. Programmatic work should create clear pathways for meaningful political participation, from voting and policy engagement to community organizing and public leadership, so that young people can translate their expectations into agency.