Statistics Korea on Aug. 21 released an analysis of how attitudes among people aged 40 to 64 have shifted over the past 10 years, drawing on its social survey. Depending on the item, the agency compared results from 2014 to 2024 or from 2015 to 2025.
The proportion saying parental support should be shared by families, the government and society climbed 15.9 percentage points, from 49.0% in 2014 to 65.0% in 2024. Those who said families alone should bear the responsibility fell to 16.7% from 29.8%, while the share saying parents should provide for themselves slipped 3.3 percentage points to 13.4% from 16.7%.
Views on housework changed even faster. The share saying couples should split domestic chores equally jumped 26.5 percentage points to 64.4% from 37.9%. The proportion who said they actually divide housework equally also rose, to 22.1% from 14.2%, but failed to keep pace with the shift in attitudes.
Attitudes toward work-centered lives also changed. The share putting work first fell to 35.0% in 2025 from 54.1% in 2015, while those valuing work and family life about equally rose to 47.6% from 35.5%. Satisfaction with overall family relationships increased to 59.9% from 48.6%.
Job insecurity eased but remained high. Among employed respondents, the share who feared job loss or forced career changes fell to 55.8% from 61.0%, still more than half. Insecurity was highest among those in their 40s, at 57.4%.
The share saying they are preparing for retirement or are already prepared rose to 81.9% from 75.8%. Those citing the national pension as their main retirement vehicle increased to 61.0% from 51.7%. Asked what role society should play in supporting later life, respondents cited income support (34.4%) followed by medical and long-term care services (30.3%). Demand for medical and care services rose 11.4 percentage points from a decade earlier, the largest increase of any category.
The share of middle-aged respondents rating their health as good rose 7.6 percentage points to 50.2% from 42.6%. Those reporting stress in daily life fell 27.5 percentage points to 42.6% from 70.1%.
