Four out of ten South Koreans said they feel lonely regularly.

According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics, 38-point-two percent of respondents to a survey of approximately 34-thousand people aged 13 and older said they usually feel lonely, and four-point-seven percent said they often do.

Loneliness was more prevalent among women—41 percent, compared to 35-point-four percent of male respondents, reported feeling the emotion—and among older adults, with 41-point-seven percent of those in their 50s and 42-point-two percent of those in their 60s experiencing it.

Five-point-eight percent of people, and a high proportion of men and seniors, said they lacked personal interaction and people to assist them when needed.

Three-point-three of those lacking social networks also reported feeling lonely.

One percent of those surveyed said they rarely left their houses, who could be classified as being socially withdrawn.