Life Satisfaction of Korean Youth Ranks 31st Among OECD Countries

Youth Population at 10.4 Million, Accounting for 20.1%
Youth Life Satisfaction Ranks Low Among OECD Countries
Relative Poverty Rate 3.6 Percentage Points Lower Than OECD Average

The life satisfaction of young people in South Korea ranked 31st out of 38 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), placing it near the bottom. Three out of ten young people reported experiencing burnout, with the rate being relatively high among those aged 25 to 29, the age group typically entering the job market.

Job posting board at Seoul Western Employment Welfare Plus Center located in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

The National Statistical Research Institute of the National Data Agency published the "Youth Quality of Life 2025" report on December 16. This is the first time the report has been released. Its purpose is to provide a comprehensive overview of the quality of life for young people, based on 62 indicators across 12 areas, including health, leisure, employment, and wages.

Youth Population Ratio Drops to 20.1% and Continues to Decline

According to the report, as of last year, the youth population (aged 19 to 34) stood at 10,404,000, accounting for 20.1% of the total population. This proportion was 28.0% in 2000, but it fell to 22.9% in 2010 and 21.1% in 2020, barely remaining above the 20% mark.

The unmarried rate among young people is on the rise. The unmarried rate for men aged 30 to 34 increased by 46.6 percentage points, from 28.1% in 2000 to 74.7% last year. For women in the same age group, the rate rose by 47.3 percentage points, from 10.7% to 58.0%.

Due to the rise in both non-marriage and late marriage, more young people are living alone. Last year, 25.8% of all young people lived alone. This figure was in the single digits at 6.7% in 2000, but it jumped to 12.5% in 2010 and has continued to rise since then.

Youth Satisfaction Ranks 31st Among 38 OECD Countries

Last year, the life satisfaction score among young people was 6.7 out of 10. Narrowing the age group to those aged 15 to 29, the average score from 2021 to 2023 was 6.5, ranking 31st out of 38 OECD countries. This is 0.3 points lower than the OECD average of 6.8.

Three out of ten young people experienced burnout. The burnout rate among young people who felt mentally and physically exhausted was 32.2% last year, down from 33.9% in 2022. The rate was higher among women (36.2%) than men (28.6%).

By age group, the burnout rate was relatively high among those aged 25 to 29 (34.8%), the age when most people enter the job market in earnest. The rates for those aged 19 to 24 and 30 to 34 were 29.7% and 31.9%, respectively.

The youth suicide rate was 24.4 per 100,000 people last year, an increase of 1.3 from the previous year. Looking at the change over the past ten years since 2015, the suicide rate among those aged 25 to 29 increased the most, by 6.6. The rates for those aged 19 to 24 and 30 to 34 increased by 5.3 and 3.8, respectively.

Relative Poverty Rate in the 7% Range... Lower Than OECD Average

Last year, the employment rate for those aged 15 to 29 was 43.7% for men and 48.4% for women, with women being 4.7 percentage points higher. In contrast, for those aged 30 to 34, the employment rate was 86.6% for men and 73.5% for women, with men being 13.1 percentage points higher. The gender gap is gradually narrowing.

Last year, the unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 29 was 5.9%, continuing a recent downward trend. The expanded unemployment rate, which reflects a broader scope of job-seeking intentions, also declined to 15.6% last year. The difference between the official unemployment rate and the expanded rate is about 9.7 percentage points.

The relative poverty rate among young people has been declining, from 11.3% in 2011 to 7.6% in 2023. The relative poverty rate for those aged 18 to 25 was 8.7% in 2022, the ninth lowest among OECD countries. This is 3.6 percentage points lower than the OECD average of 12.3%.

The proportion of students aged 18 to 21 enrolled in higher education institutions reached 76.3% this year, up 1.4 percentage points from 74.9% the previous year. This rate was 52.5% in 2000 and continued to rise, slowed in the 2010s, but has been increasing again since 2020.