Bo-eun leads the digital content team. She has covered foreign affairs, North Korea, tech, economy and gender issues at The Korea Times. She did a short stint at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where she obtained a new perspective on news production and life. Small sources of joy for her are lounging in the sun, having a good latte and swimming.
Half of Seoul citizens stagnate at bottom end of middle class
By Kim Bo-eun
Half of Seoul citizens perceive that they are at the bottom level of the middle class, a study showed.
The finding was based on a survey of 45,605 people aged 15 and older as well as 2,500 foreign residents and 5,500 enterprises on the quality of life conducted by Seoul City in November.
Regarding their socioeconomic status, 51.7 percent of the respondents said they belong to the lower level of the middle class.
The actual percentage of the middle class has remained unchanged at 65.2 percent since 2009. However, within the middle-income bracket, the lower half has increased by 5.3 percentage points.
The perception reflects the prolonged economic slump which has gripped the nation since the 2008 global financial and economic crisis.
“I think I fall in the bottom end of the middle class,” said Kim, a 38-year-old instructor at an English academy. “Although I have a steady, average-level income, compared to others my age, I have little wealth accumulated,” she said.
“If I was asked 10 years earlier when I was 28, I would have responded that I belong to a higher income bracket. But since I am older now and there are expectations that come with age, such as owning a house or car or having a large sum of money saved up, the socioeconomic status I consider myself to be in has fallen,” she added.
More and more citizens in Seoul consider their status in society to be in the lower income bracket.
The survey also covered the respondents’ satisfaction with housing, education and transportation. Overall satisfaction levels have risen.
More residents seem to be happy about their housing, with their satisfaction level rising from 5.39 percent in 2005 to 6.10 percent in 2011.
As for education, satisfaction increased from 5.01 in 2005 to 5.28 in 2011.
Seoul City has conducted the survey every year to measure the quality of life since 2003.
“We will use the results of the research to analyze the structure and characteristics of the population in Seoul, in order to establish policies that promote the interests of the citizens,” an official said.