Anchor: South Koreans’ level of life satisfaction fell for the first time in four years. When it comes to happiness, the country ranked 33rd out of the 38 members of the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD), with the suicide rate rising to its highest point so far in the 2020s.
Max Lee has more.

Report: South Koreans are less satisfied with life for the first time in four years, after the country’s life satisfaction score rebounded in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Statistics Korea’s annual report on South Koreans’ quality of life, released Monday, the level of life satisfaction stood at six-point-four out of a possible ten.

It was a zero-point-one point decline from a year earlier, marking the first fall in four years.

Life satisfaction is a subjective indicator, measured on a scale of zero to ten.

South Koreans’ level of life satisfaction steadily increased from five-point-seven points in 2013 to six-point-one in 2018.

After dropping to six-point-zero in 2019, it saw a gradual increase during the COVID-19 period.

The OECD data referenced in the report showed that South Korea’s suicide rate rose to 27-point-three per 100-thousand people, the highest level in nine years.

It also showed that life satisfaction tends to be lower among older people and those with less income.

Households earning less than one million won per month had life satisfaction levels of five-point-seven points on average, zero-point-seven points lower than the average for all income levels.

Households with monthly income of one million to two million won had an average life satisfaction level of six-point-one points, while those with monthly income of two million to three million won got six-point-two points.

On the other hand, households whose monthly income stood at six million won or more had an average life satisfaction score of six-point-six.

Average life satisfaction scores stood at six-point-five for those aged 19 to 29 and for those aged 30 to 39, and six-point-six for those aged 40 to 49.

But for older people, life satisfaction was lower, with average scores of six-point-four for those aged 50 to 59 and six-point-two for those aged 60 and above.

According to the World Happiness Report, South Korea’s life satisfaction score stood at six-point-06 from 2021 to 2023, lower than the OECD average of six-point-69 points.

South Korea ranked 33rd out of the 38 OECD member countries, placing fifth from the bottom.
Max Lee, KBS World Radio News.