December 24, 2025
SEOUL – South Koreans feel less happy and satisfied with their lives than three years ago, despite reporting improved financial standing, according to a regular survey by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Conducted every three years, the survey covers major aspects of social life, from individual and family life to social values, civic participation, and views on North Korea and reunification.
The 2025 survey found that the proportion of respondents who described themselves as generally “happy” fell sharply, from 65.0 percent in 2022 to 51.9 percent in 2025. Overall life satisfaction also declined during the same period, dropping from 63.1 percent to 52.9 percent.
Paradoxically, more Koreans now perceive themselves as economically secure. A total of 43.7 percent identified as “middle class,” while an additional 16.8 percent said they were above the middle class. In other words, 60.5 percent of respondents viewed themselves as middle class or higher, an increase of 18.1 percentage points compared with 2022.
The latest survey marked a significant expansion in scope, as it included foreign national residents for the first time. Among foreign nationals who have lived in South Korea for at least two years, 55.9 percent said they felt happy living in the country, while 56.1 percent reported satisfaction with their lives. Both figures exceed those recorded among Korean respondents.
Foreign residents also expressed relatively high satisfaction with family life, friendships and health — each surpassing the 50 percent mark — but reported lower satisfaction levels when it came to income and assets, employment and housing conditions.
Public perceptions of multiculturalism were broadly positive. Some 66 percent of Korean respondents said multiculturalism helps secure labor resources, while 61.3 percent pointed to its positive effects on social inclusion. More than half, or 56.5 percent, said multiculturalism does not weaken national cohesion, and 58.2 percent disagreed with the view that it undermines pride in a single ethnic lineage.
“Our demographic structure suggests that Korea is likely to become a more immigration-oriented society, which is why we included this component for the first time,” said Pyo Kwang-jong, director of the public opinion division at the Culture Ministry, in an interview with The Korea Herald on Tuesday.
“How Koreans perceive foreigners and how foreigners perceive Korean society will only become more important going forward.”
Also for the first time since the survey began in 1996, 31.9 percent of respondents ranked “a country with a mature democracy” above “a financially affluent country” (28.2 percent) as the most desirable national vision. Although 46.9 percent of respondents said Korea’s level of democracy is high, which is more than twice the share who viewed it as low, the prioritization of democratic maturity reflects what officials interpret as heightened public awareness following recent experiences of democratic strain.
At the same time, perceptions of social conflict have intensified. The share of respondents who said conflict between the Seoul metropolitan area and regional provinces is severe rose from 57.4 percent to 69 percent from the previous survey in 2022. Perceived conflict between men and women also increased markedly, from 50.4 percent to 61.1 percent.
When it comes to marriage, more Koreans place greater importance on personality than on any other factor. Nearly 70 percent of respondents identified personality as the most important factor, up from 63.1 percent in 2022 and 67.3 percent in 2019.
The share of respondents who consider having children a necessary component of marriage fell below half, to 44.1 percent, down from 61.7 percent in 2022.
Support for same-sex marriage reached 29.2 percent, an increase of 11.3 percentage points from 2016.
A majority of Koreans express support for extending the mandatory retirement age. Some 50.9 percent believe the retirement age should be extended beyond the current level, while 23.1 percent favor abolishing the mandatory retirement system altogether. Taken together, 74 percent of respondents expressed positive views toward extending or eliminating mandatory retirement.
By contrast, the share of respondents who believe the current retirement age should be maintained fell sharply, dropping from 46.8 percent in 2022 to 15.7 percent in 2025.
The survey also found that 55.2 percent of Koreans are already using generative artificial intelligence services. While respondents expressed optimism about the potential for AI to reduce working hours, concerns over job polarization and labor-market imbalance were equally pronounced.
The survey was conducted between Aug. 15 and Oct. 2, 2025, targeting 6,180 men and women aged 13-79 nationwide. A separate survey of 1,020 foreign national residents who have lived in South Korea for at least two years was carried out alongside it.
The 2025 edition also broadened its scope to include adolescents, enabling more comprehensive analysis of generational perspectives. Previous surveys focused on adults aged 19-79.
In the survey’s first-ever assessment of adolescents’ overall perceptions of daily life, the findings indicate generally positive attitudes. A total of 66.3 percent of adolescents said they have time to engage in hobbies or activities they enjoy, while 65.6 percent reported feeling that their family is a source of support when they are struggling. Although positive responses outweighed negative ones regarding optimism about the future, the share expressing a positive outlook was relatively lower at 45.5 percent.
Beginning in 2026, the survey will be conducted annually to support the development of data-driven government policies, according to the Culture Ministry.