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Report that suggests the national future strategies based on the analysis of major future issues by the research team
[National Future Strategic Insight] Need for Happiness Report and National Happiness (No. 17) (Revised)

Date : 2021-04-29 Writer : Heo Jong-ho

Associate Research Fellow Heo Jong-ho has confirmed the inequality of happiness depending on region, age and socioeconomic position based on “2020 Korean Happiness Survey” and emphasized the need for in-depth research and policy proposals. In particular, he conducted “Korean Happiness Survey” in November 2020 with about 14,000 males and females aged ≥ 15 nationwide as respondents; it asked respondents to think of overall happiness score, meaning of life, accomplishment, freedom to make decisions in life, a position they feel they stand at the present time on the Cantril ladder, and satisfaction 5 years ago and after. The outcomes show that average overall happiness score is above 5 despite of the COVID-19 pandemic; however the vulnerable groups, such as elderly population (aged 60 and over), single-person households, groups with low education and income levels, and groups with poor health, demonstrate much lower scores than average, thus it can be concluded the inequality is the critical factor to happiness. Further, the most notable variation is observed across regions instead of gender or socioeconomic indicators; Jeonbuk, Jeonnam, Gwangju, and Gyeongnam regions show a higher degree of happiness, but Gyeongbuk and Jeju have the lowest scores for all matrices.

Heo suggested to establish polices based on the peoples’ rating of their own lives in order to improve the quality of life and gross national happiness; especially, South Korea needs to institutional approaches to ensure significance improvement in well-being of vulnerable groups, including elderly, single-person households, low-income groups, local residents living in Gyeongbuk and Jeju regions.

“Studies have been reported that higher level of happiness can contribute to build up more prosperous and robust society,” explains Heo. “It is necessary to accumulate basic data serving as a foundation for establishing mid- and long-term policies with continuous monitoring of national happiness and inequality from the viewpoint of the National Assembly, thus we will provide the detailed takeaways in terms of policy through in-depth researches.”


* “National Future Strategic Insight” is a brief report which is issued every two weeks to provide strategic insights for our future based on in-depth analysis of major issues made by professional researchers at the National Assembly Futures Institute (NAFI).