Korean Youth Report High Stress, Strong Social Values as Population Declines (Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 27 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s youth population is shrinking at a rapid pace due to declining birth rates, even as the number of students from multicultural backgrounds continues to rise, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family’s annual Youth Statistics 2025 report released Tuesday.
As of this year, the youth population (ages 9 to 24) stands at 7.63 million, accounting for 14.8% of the total population — nearly half of what it was in 1985, when youth made up 34.3% of the nation. The report projects this figure will fall further to just 8.8% of the population by 2070.
While overall school-age population (ages 6 to 21) continues to decline — now 13.5% of the total population — the number of multicultural students has tripled over the past decade, reaching 193,814 in 2024, or 3.8% of all primary and secondary students.
Despite demographic shifts, most youths report positive health perceptions, with 85.7% of elementary through high school students describing their physical health as good. However, 42.3% said they regularly experience stress, and 27.7% reported symptoms of depression within the past year.
Fewer Youth, More Diversity: Korea’s Next Generation Faces Complex Future (Image supported by ChatGPT)
Tragically, suicide remains the leading cause of death among Korean youth, surpassing accidents and cancer. In 2023, 1,867 young people died, with suicide deaths rising to 11.7 per 100,000, up from 10.8 the previous year.
On the social front, youth engagement and awareness are high: over 82% believe they should participate in societal and political issues, and 96.6% support gender equality. An overwhelming majority also believe in equal educational opportunities for foreigners and oppose discrimination based on economic background.
Yet challenges remain. Smartphone overdependence affects 42.6% of teens, while 3.6% reported smoking and 9.7% reported alcohol use within the past 30 days. In 2023, approximately 67,000 juvenile offenders were recorded, with property crimes being the most common.
Last year, the national youth counseling hotline “1388” handled 695,000 cases, with mental health concerns (44.6%) leading the topics, followed by interpersonal issues and academic or career-related stress.
Compiled annually in May to coincide with Youth Month, the Youth Statistics report offers a detailed snapshot of the evolving lives of Korean youth, drawing from national surveys and government data to inform future policy.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
