An annual job fair for high school graduates bustles with visitors at an exhibition center in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, on June 2, 2022. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – A recent study has highlighted a significant perception gap among South Korean youths regarding the role of personal effort versus parental support in achieving success.
According to a report by the National Youth Policy Institute, only 20% of young Koreans believe that one can succeed in society purely based on personal effort, without the need for parental backing.
The survey, which involved 1,938 youths aged 18 to 34, found that a staggering 42.7% disagreed with the notion that success could be attained through individual effort alone, nearly double the number of those in agreement.
This skepticism grows with age, as older respondents showed even less confidence in success without parental support.
The results also indicated a stark contrast in views based on the financial status of the respondents’ families, with more than half of the youths from lower-income backgrounds expressing doubts about achieving success on their own.
While a majority, 52.4%, still believe that personal effort is more crucial than family background in determining success, the high level of dissent suggests a widespread belief that effort alone may not be sufficient for success in the current societal framework.
Additionally, 35.2% of respondents considered parental support in the form of wealth or resources as a natural expectation, while 54.7% acknowledged significant parental contributions to their social achievements.
The perception of unfairness in society was further underscored by 43.8% of respondents who deemed the society to be unjust, with employment opportunities identified as the most inequitable area, followed by housing, participation rights, welfare, and education.
To address these disparities, 28.2% of the youths called for stricter management and penalties for hiring malpractices, while others advocated for a wage system based on job performance and skills, and improvements in public housing provisions.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
