The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Senior US general warns of possible looming war with China

  • 3

    BLACKPINK sets 6 more Guinness records

  • 5

    National pension anticipated to be fully drained in 2055: NPS

  • 7

    ENA's new dating show to spotlight young adult's romance

  • 9

    Cabinet ministries turn deaf ear to watchdog's advice on sexual minorities

  • 11

    Seoul to work with Hanoi to pursue peace on Korean peninsula

  • 13

    Korea's rice consumption hits another low in 2022: data

  • 15

    To speak Korean

  • 17

    SK E&S retains gov't support for Barossa gas project in Australia

  • 19

    Indonesia celebrates 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea via virtual event

  • 2

    People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions

  • 4

    Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait'

  • 6

    TXT brings together 'pansori' and fairy tale in new song 'Sugar Rush Ride'

  • 8

    Bad weather disrupts operation of Jeju airport again after 3 days

  • 10

    More Korean manufacturers enjoy Georgia's hospitality

  • 12

    Superintendent of Seoul Education Office gets suspended jail term

  • 14

    Opposition leader Lee claims innocence in corruption probe

  • 16

    Police to build disaster prediction system to prevent recurrence of Itaewon tragedy

  • 18

    12 websites still unavailable after Chinese cyberattacks

  • 20

    LGES to capitalize on US IRA, Tesla partnership to continue record earnings

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sun, January 29, 2023 | 10:59
Society
More Koreans frustrated by 'broken social ladder'
Posted : 2021-12-01 15:33
Updated : 2021-12-01 19:21
Lee Hae-rin
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
gettyimagesbank
gettyimagesbank

Social mobility becomes more difficult amid COVID-19 pandemic

By Lee Hae-rin

A growing number of Koreans in the low- and middle-income brackets are becoming increasingly frustrated by the so-called broken social ladder, as chances to ascend in the hierarchical structure of society continue to diminish amid a widening gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Kim Jae-sung, 26, a university graduate in Seoul, is one such Korean who sees no chance of climbing the societal ladder. He is about to enter the job market, but sees little hope because his estimated income and debt augur a continuation of tough living conditions in the future. "I have to work all my life but won't ever be able to afford a house," is what he and his friends often tell each other these days.

"My friends and I feel that monthly income cannot even guarantee our near future. There is no chance of a rags to riches story anymore," Kim told The Korea Times. "Without hitting the jackpot in cryptocurrency, the stock market, or on YouTube, turning my life around seems impossible."

Kim Jeong-seok, 41, an engineer from Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, also shared with his friends and colleagues the difficulties he faces in overcoming social inequality.

"I feel like it's getting more and more difficult to achieve a better living standard out of individual effort, compared to the past when I was in my 20s. The inequality seems to get stronger especially as financial income from investments far surpass earned income in all classes," Kim said.

According to a survey released by Statistics Korea, Nov. 17, six out of 10 adults here believe there is little chance of them improving their socioeconomic status. Only 25.2 percent of 36,000 respondents answered that individual effort can improve their socioeconomic status.

The lack of hope in climbing the social ladder was stronger among people who considered themselves to be in the low-income bracket. Among respondents who ranked themselves in the high-income level, 55.9 percent answered that their generation has a high chance of climbing the social ladder. But this dropped to 14.9 percent among those who ranked themselves in the low-income group.

"We need to understand that this discourse on a lack of upward social mobility reflects reality. Social classes and the inheritance of wealth are becoming more permanent due to a lack of factors in the education and employment sectors which could push people up toward the upper part of the ladder," Lee Byoung-hoon, a professor of sociology at Chung-Ang University told The Korea Times.

Policy failure to tame soaring home prices brings social mobility crisis
Policy failure to tame soaring home prices brings social mobility crisis
2021-09-09 15:41  |  Economy
Paradox of job policy: Irregular workers increasing despite Moon's rosy promise
Paradox of job policy: Irregular workers increasing despite Moon's rosy promise
2021-11-14 08:53  |  Economy

Hong Seul-ki, 30, a freelance marketer from Gwangmyeong, Gyeonggi Province, says she has experienced discrimination in her career based on her academic background.

"I think it is evident that my generation's college entrance and employment is largely dependent on the economic power of their parents. What is worse is that there is a social atmosphere that justifies such discrimination," Hong said to The Korea Times.

gettyimagesbank
Members of a civic group hold a press conference in front of Cheong Wa Dae, in this Sept. 10, 2019, photo, calling on then-Justice Minister Cho Kuk to step down over allegations that he used his status and influence to help his children gain admission into prestigious universities. Korea Times file

A 2019 scandal involving former Justice Minister Cho Kuk showed a part of that reality. In the scandal where Cho and his wife allegedly used their status and influence to help their children receive academic advantages, it was found that socially and financially influential parents at prestigious high schools offered internship opportunities to each other's children to help them gain admission into prestigious universities.

"It is common all over the world that parents tend to educate their children and maintain or elevate their status. However, their far-reaching influence on the job market and individual assets is a structural problem in Korean society, which leads to social inequality," Lee at Chung-Ang University said.

Another factor affecting social mobility in Korea is real estate, which accounts for a major proportion of household assets. As housing prices surge, the wealth gap between those who have a house and those who don't is widening to the point where the latter almost cannot catch up.

"In terms of assets, the gap between those who own real estate in the capital area and those who don't has become very wide over the last 10 years. It can't be overcome in a short period of time, so moving upward in the social class without real estate is unlikely," said Park Mun-su, a 31-year-old program developer.

A global report also showed Korea ranked relatively low in social mobility compared to its economic status.

In the Global Social Mobility Index 2020 from the World Economic Forum, Korea ranked 25th out of 82 countries, while its economic power ranked 12th.

The report states: "As a result (of lack of social mobility), an individual's opportunities in life remain tethered to their socio-economic status at birth, entrenching historical inequalities."

Experts point out that government must ramp up efforts to narrow the gap between the rich and poor to overcome inequality.

"The social gap puts people at different starting points, and the gap will only widen without active intervention by the government in the public sector. Public education must be strengthened, and individuals must be evaluated and employed based on their competence, rather than their social (class) status," Lee said.

"Some claim that individual effort can lead to winning the competition, but they sound like a privileged few on the upper regions of the ladder. Most people who are in a neglected social group can barely make their voices heard on inequality and that is why a public approach is necessary," the professor concluded.



Emaillhr@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions People attempt to cut surging heating costs with creative solutions
2Cabinet ministries turn deaf ear to watchdog's advice on sexual minorities Cabinet ministries turn deaf ear to watchdog's advice on sexual minorities
3More Korean manufacturers enjoy Georgia's hospitality More Korean manufacturers enjoy Georgia's hospitality
4Seoul to work with Hanoi to pursue peace on Korean peninsula Seoul to work with Hanoi to pursue peace on Korean peninsula
5Superintendent of Seoul Education Office gets suspended jail term Superintendent of Seoul Education Office gets suspended jail term
6SK E&S retains gov't support for Barossa gas project in Australia SK E&S retains gov't support for Barossa gas project in Australia
7Indonesia celebrates 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea via virtual event Indonesia celebrates 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea via virtual event
8LGES to capitalize on US IRA, Tesla partnership to continue record earnings LGES to capitalize on US IRA, Tesla partnership to continue record earnings
9KT&G aims to become global top-tier company KT&G aims to become global top-tier company
10Cambodian ministers highlight potential for growth, cooperation Cambodian ministers highlight potential for growth, cooperation
Top 5 Entertainment News
1BLACKPINK sets 6 more Guinness records BLACKPINK sets 6 more Guinness records
2Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait' Jang Keun-suk steps out of his comfort zone with 'The Bait'
3Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film Shunsuke Michieda overwhelmed by Korean fans' support for his coming-of-age film
4TXT brings together 'pansori' and fairy tale in new song 'Sugar Rush Ride' TXT brings together 'pansori' and fairy tale in new song 'Sugar Rush Ride'
5ENA's new dating show to spotlight young adult's romance ENA's new dating show to spotlight young adult's romance
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

wooribank
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group