The proportion of men in the kangaroo tribe (69.1%) was higher than that of women (63%) in 2020, which the study attributed to factors like mandatory military service and later marriage ages for men. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jun. 6 (Korea Bizwire) –A staggering two out of three South Koreans aged 25 to 34 are living with their parents or are financially dependent on them, even if they reside separately, according to a new study on the phenomenon known as the “kangaroo tribe.”
Hwang Gwang-hoon, an associate research fellow at the Korea Employment Information Service (KEIS), presented “The Current Status and Characteristics of the Kangaroo Tribe in Their 20s and 30s” at the 2024 Employment Panel Survey Academic Conference held at Seoul National University on June 5.
The study analyzed youth panel data from 2012 to 2020 compiled by the employment service.
Hwang classified respondents who said they “currently live with their parents” or are “temporarily living separately for reasons such as education or military service while not being economically independent” as part of the kangaroo tribe.
The findings revealed that 66% of South Koreans aged 25 to 34 fell into this category in 2020, an increase of 3.2 percentage points from 62.8% in 2012.
The proportion of men in the kangaroo tribe (69.1%) was higher than that of women (63%) in 2020, which the study attributed to factors like mandatory military service and later marriage ages for men.
The kangaroo tribe was more prevalent among those with a high school diploma or less (73.4%), residents of the greater Seoul metropolitan area (69.4%) compared to non-metropolitan areas (61.7%), and the unemployed.
While the distribution of the kangaroo tribe in the late 20s age group hovered around 80%, significantly higher than the around 50% rate for those in their early 30s, the study noted a more pronounced increase in recent years among the latter group.
The proportion of men in the kangaroo tribe (69.1%) was higher than that of women (63%) in 2020, which the study attributed to factors like mandatory military service and later marriage ages for men. (Image courtesy of Pixabay/CCL)
An analysis of those who had escaped the kangaroo tribe revealed higher rates of independence among women, those with higher educational attainment, married individuals, non-metropolitan residents, and the employed.
“The recent increase in the kangaroo tribe is being driven by those in their early to mid-30s, suggesting a potential for continued growth in this age group,” Hwang said. “Young people need an environment where they can manage their income from quality jobs.”
The conference also featured research on youth labor markets, labor markets for middle-aged and older adults, quality of life for middle-aged and older adults, health of the elderly, and the quality of life for youth.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
