The Ministry of Data and Statistics report "2025 Social Indicators of Korea" released on March 31 said 80.8% of Koreans surveyed were "satisfied with their lives." (Lee Jeongwoo)

By Xu Aiying

Eight out of 10 Koreans are satisfied with their lives, a survey has found.

The report "2025 Social Indicators of Korea" released by the Ministry of Data and Statistics on March 31 said 80.8% expressed such contentment, up from 75.6% in the previous year.

By age group, life satisfaction was highest among 30-somethings at 85.2%, while those aged 60 or older had the lowest rate of 75.1%. By gender, the figure for men (81.2%) was slightly higher than that of women (80.3%).

In addition, 79.4% of respondents said they thought their work had value, up from 76.3% in 2024.

Satisfaction with consumer life reached 24.6%, showing steady growth since 2011. Last year, the average monthly consumption of a household amounted to KRW 2,939,000, up from KRW 2,890,000 the prior year.

The majority 70.2% of those aged 13 or older traveled domestically last year, while 31.5% did so abroad. In addition, 39.4% expressed satisfaction with their leisure activities, up from 34.3% in 2023.

The ministry said, "Higher consumer spending and more active travel have apparently raised overall satisfaction with life."

xuaiy@korea.kr