SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea experienced a decline in its position on the annual global corruption index for the first time in seven years, according to Transparency International. The country, which had seen steady improvements following the enactment of an anti-corruption law in 2016, dropped to 32nd place in the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index. This index assesses countries based on levels of public sector corruption through expert assessments and surveys, with South Korea scoring 63 out of a possible 100 points.
According to Yonhap News Agency, In the context of the Asia-Pacific region, South Korea ranked ninth out of 51 countries. New Zealand led the region by securing the third position globally with a score of 85, followed by Singapore in fifth place with 83 points. Australia and Hong Kong both were tied for the 14th position with 75 points each. Transparency International's South Korean branch noted a decline in indexes related to the economy and politics, indicating significant challenges to anti-corruption efforts within the country.
Globally, Denmark was recognized as the least corrupt country, scoring 90 points. It was closely followed by Finland with 87 points, New Zealand with 85 points, Norway with 84 points, and Singapore with 83 points. At the other end of the spectrum, Somalia was ranked as the most corrupt, scoring just 11 points. This placed it below Venezuela, Syria, and South Sudan, each scoring 13 points. North Korea was also among the lowest-ranked countries, securing the 172nd place with a score of 17 points, highlighting the pervasive issues of corruption in some of the world's most troubled nations.