1 in 20 Koreans shows low social interaction

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One in 20 Koreans has limited social interaction with others, a government analysis shows, offering a rare data-based look at how weaker personal networks are reflected in work, mobility and spending patterns.

The Ministry of Data and Statistics released a report Monday on living conditions among four groups of social and policy interest: older adults ages 65 and older, young adults ages 19 to 34, the low-interaction group and people 18 and older with no loan or credit card history over the past three years.

The low-interaction group was defined as mobile phone users who contacted fewer than 20 distinct people and made fewer than 500 outgoing calls and text messages a month. This placed them in the bottom 15 percent for the former and the bottom 10 percent for the latter as of the first quarter of this year.

The ministry combined the government’s 2023 population data with first-quarter data this year on daily activity from SK Telecom, Shinhan Card, Korea Credit Bureau and SK Broadband to analyze economic and social activity.

It said the report is the first such analysis to closely examine the low-interaction group’s daily living patterns, including spending behavior and communication frequency.

The low-interaction group accounted for 4.9 percent of the population, and only 26.2 percent had worked during 2023 — less than half the overall average of 64 percent.

Among those who had worked, regular workers accounted for 52.8 percent, below the national average of 67 percent. By contrast, daily workers made up 25.7 percent, 11.6 percentage points above the overall average. The self-employed accounted for 21.5 percent, 2.7 points higher.

The group averaged about 11 people contacted a month through mobile calls and text messages, roughly one-fifth the average.

Members of the group went out to places other than home or work 15.8 times a month and spent about 1.3 hours a day there — roughly half the average.

By contrast, they spent an average of 19.3 hours a day near home, about 3.3 hours longer than average.

Average monthly card spending was about 650,000 won ($452), led by retail purchases at 55 percent and dining at about 9 percent. They traveled an average of 10.3 kilometers a day, including commuting or school trips, less than half the average of 24.1 kilometers.

Job seekers line up at a job fair for older adults held at Nam District Office in Busan, Dec. 8. Yonhap

Meanwhile, employment remained relatively high among people ages 65 and older. Despite being well past the statutory retirement age at 60, 43.2 percent had worked during 2023.

As of the first quarter of this year, they averaged about 852,000 won in monthly card spending and contacted about 39 people a month through mobile calls and text messages.

Among young adults ages 19 to 34, 85.5 percent had worked during 2023. They averaged about 1.82 million won in monthly card spending and contacted an average of about 44 people a month through calls and text messages.

The financially marginalized group — people 18 and older with no loan or credit card history over the past three years — accounted for 12.9 percent of the adult population, and 41.8 percent of the group had worked during 2023.

They averaged about 363,000 won in monthly card spending and contacted an average of 27 people a month through calls and text messages.