Share of each country’s news about armed violence, last 12 months
North KoreaSouth Korea
North Korea vs South Korea: which is more tense right now?
This week, 11.0% of the news located in North Korea is about armed violence (#17 of 74), against 6.0% in South Korea (#28). North Korea is the more tense of the two right now.
North Korea11.0%#17 · around its usual level
South Korea6.0%#28 · above its usual level
North Korea tenser than South Korea92%of weeks since 2017
Both most tense9 October 2022week with the highest combined reading
Weekly average since 2017
North KoreaSouth Korea
Year by yearshare of each country’s news about armed violence
| Year | North Korea, average | South Korea, average | More tense |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 10.7% | 5.4% | North Korea |
| 2025 | 10.8% | 5.1% | North Korea |
| 2024 | 12.4% | 5.9% | North Korea |
| 2023 | 11.4% | 5.6% | North Korea |
| 2022 | 14.3% | 6.5% | North Korea |
| 2021 | 7.6% | 4.8% | North Korea |
| 2020 | 9.4% | 4.5% | North Korea |
| 2019 | 6.7% | 4.5% | North Korea |
| 2018 | 4.5% | 4.2% | North Korea |
| 2017 | 11.4% | 7.7% | North Korea |
Frequently asked questions
Is North Korea or South Korea more tense right now?
North Korea is the more tense this week: 11.0% of its news is about armed violence, against 6.0% for South Korea.
Which has been more tense since 2017, North Korea or South Korea?
North Korea was the more tense of the two in 92% of weeks since 2017, South Korea in the other 8%.
When were North Korea and South Korea most tense together?
In the week to 9 October 2022: 24.3% for North Korea and 11.7% for South Korea.
How is this measured?
For each country, Riftrate measures the share of the news located there that is about armed violence (war and terrorism, excluding ordinary crime), over 7 days, from the GDELT event database. It does not depend on the size of the country. It measures the news, not casualties.