Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on Feb. 23, 2020 (Yonhap)
SEOUL, March 24 (Korea Bizwire) — Young South Koreans believe that the Catholic Church is a rich and isolated institution, a poll showed Thursday.
The Catholic Pastoral Institute of Korea conducted a survey of 1,000 South Koreans over 19 years of age, in which 64.6 percent of those in their 20s thought of the Catholic Church as “rich” and 35.4 percent “poor.”
Among the respondents over 60 years of age, 53.5 percent believed that the Catholic Church is poor, while 46.5 percent said it is rich.
At 61.9 percent, more than half of the respondents in their 20s said that the Catholic Church is isolated, while 51.9 percent of those over 60 years of age believed that it is open.
Only 38.1 percent of respondents in their 20s believed that the Catholic Church is open, while 48.1 percent of those over 60 years of age said it is isolated.
In all age groups, a majority of respondents believed that the Catholic Church is conservative. The belief was stronger among younger generations.
Roughly two-thirds of the respondents in their 20s and half of those over 60 years of age said that the Catholic Church is conservative.
“The survey results indicate that the former reputation of the Catholic Church in South Korea is no longer felt by the younger generation of South Koreans,” the institute said.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
