Skip to main content
Menu Menu Close
Africa
Americas
Asia and the Pacific
Europe
Western Asia
Flag

Republic of Korea

Monthly Updates

December 2022

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Seoul on 3 December to denounce the government's attempts to force thousands of striking truckers back to work following a 16-day strike over minimum wage protections. The Yoon government invoked a never-used 2004 law on 29 November to force the striking truckers back to work or face up to three years of imprisonment or hefty fines. Critics allege that the Yoon administration's work order suppresses protesters' labour rights. The strikes are a continuation of protests held earlier this year in April.

November 2022

Media, experts, and opposition parties have raised concerns over growing press freedom violations by the Yoon Suk-Yeol government over the past month. Some of these moves include barring a major media outlet - Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) - from joining a travelling press pool, as well as the government’s announced funding cuts for 2024 to a popular radio broadcaster - Traffic Broadcasting System (TBS) – amid claims of political bias in its programmes seen as having an unfavourable disposition toward the Yoon-Suk-Yeol administration.

October 2022
Watch flag

President Yoon Suk-yeoul announced on 6 October that following his campaign pledge, the government will move ahead with abolishing the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. While the plan is still subject to approval by the National Assembly, the move threatens to be a major setback for women's rights as they continue to face systematic discrimination. Activists and politicians have furthermore criticized the president for capitalizing on the country's "anti-feminism" movement in mobilizing young men during the 2022 election to fulfil his promise. 

August 2022

Clemency has been granted to Samsung executive Lee Jae-yong. Previously convicted of bribery and embezzlement, Lee had been directly tied to the corruption scandal that led to the mass protests of 2016 and 2017 and the imprisonment of former President Park Geun-Hye, and still faced further criminal allegations. While justified by the government as necessary to stimulate the country’s post-pandemic economic recovery, the pardon continues a trend of legal forgiveness for convicted chaebol leaders.

Explore past monthly updates

GSoD Indices Data 2012-2021

Chevron

Basic Information

Chevron
Population Tooltip
51 744 880
System of government
Presidential system
Head of government
President Yoon Suk-yeol (since 2022)
Head of government party
People Power Party
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
Mixed Member Proportional system
Women in lower or single chamber
18.6%
Women in upper chamber
Not applicable
Last legislative election
2020
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
3.1
Head of state
President Yoon Suk-yeol
Selection process for head of state
Direct election (plurality)
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
09/11/2017
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
55.50%
Tooltip text

Human Rights Treaties

Chevron
State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
No Action
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
No Action
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
No Action
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
in
Tooltip text

Attributes Over Time

Representative government neutral Representative Government
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Fundamental rights
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Checks on government
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Impartial administration
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023
Representative government neutral Participatory engagement
Sep 2022
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb 2023

GSoD Indices

Regime type
0 10