Who Holds the Record · country brief · data as of 2026-10-01Who holds the health record in North Korea?
In 2026, North Korea scores 19 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 196 of 196 countries (likely range 184 to 196), in the Poor band (0 to 24). Who holds the keys: State. Source: Who Holds the Record, SuperTruth, data as of 2026-10-01.
North Korean law gives patients no right to their records and no say over sharing, while the UN finds state surveillance growing.
Published · updated · data as of 2026-10-01 · research tool, not legal advice
Can I get my health records in North Korea?
Access to the full record scores 15 of 100 in North Korea, against a median of 43 across 196 countries. No law we read gives a patient the right to see or copy their medical record. The Medical Law says a diagnosis is told to the patient, but a diagnosis judged harmful to treatment may be told only to the guardian.
Can I control who sees my health record in North Korea?
Control and consent scores 20 of 100 in North Korea, against a median of 30 across 196 countries. Patients must consent to surgery and to the use of organs, but the Medical Law makes hospitals register every patient found in check-ups and report them to the 'relevant bodies'. We found no choice over sharing and no access log.
Eight rights, against Afghanistan, Myanmar, Cambodia and the EU
| Patient access to the full record20% | 15 | 20 · 18 · 25 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient control and consent20% | 20 | 20 · 24 · 25 | |
| Privacy and security15% | 15 | 20 · 22 · 30 | |
| Connected care journey15% | 20 | 18 · 20 · 22 | |
| Protection from commercial use10% | 20 | 22 · 28 · 25 | |
| Clinician access at the point of care10% | 15 | 15 · 15 · 20 | |
| Research and trial consent5% | 40 | 30 · 43 · 45 | |
| Clinical AI governance5% | 18 | 15 · 25 · 18 |
Black dot: North Korea. Hollow dots: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Cambodia (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 196 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: North Korea 19, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; read the rank with its likely range.
What would North Korea need to change to score higher?
North Korea sits in Poor (0 to 24); Weak starts at 25. The two rights furthest below the 196-country median, weighted, are patient access to the full record (15, median 43) and privacy and security (15, median 45). The published rubric reads:
- Patient access to the full record: A national portal showing at least part of the record (summary, prescriptions, labs) to most residents puts access at 60 to 75; a near-full record with export, long history and majority use, 76 to 90.
- Privacy and security: Health-sector enforcement on the record: an independent regulator deciding health-data cases, breach notification and penalties applied.
Which laws give health record rights in North Korea?
- Medical Law (1997 (amended 2012)): Records must be kept; diagnosis may be told only to guardian; patients registered and reported to authorities.
- Public Health Law (1980 (amended 2012)): Promises free care and section doctors; state leads medical research; no data or confidentiality rules.
- Socialist Constitution, Article 49 (2026): Revised health clause drops universal free care, section doctors and preventive medicine wording.
Strain and split context, not scored
- Doctors per 10,000
- 31.0 2024
- Nurses and midwives per 10,000
- 44.5 2024
- Private insurance + out-of-pocket
- unknown
- Record reaches private care?
- unknown
Published stories
- 2025-04-07 · Radio Free Asia (Korean service) North Korean hospitals post a fee for diagnosis certificates as free care fades
Questions, corrections or a briefing: supertruth.ai/on-the-record#contact · Full index: whoholds.supertruth.ai