More young South Koreans turning away from religion: Poll
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People walking past a Buddhist statue at Bongeunsa Temple in Seoul, South Korea, March 9.
PHOTO: REUTERS
SEOUL – Only 24 per cent of South Koreans in their 20s said they have a religion, down significantly from 45 per cent in 2004, according to a 2025 poll by Gallup Korea.
The report on religion in South Korea from 1983 to 2025 showed that, by age, those in their 20s were least likely to follow a religion.
The figure increased gradually among older respondents: Ages 30-39 recorded 29 per cent, ages 40-41 recorded 39 per cent, and ages 50-51 recorded 45 per cent in 2025. Those in their 60s accounted for the highest portion, with about 52 per cent of respondents saying they followed a religion.
When asked why they did not have a religion, 58 per cent of those in their 20s said they were not interested, 20 per cent said they do not have the time or headspace, 9 per cent attributed disappointment and distrust towards religion, and 9 per cent said “because I believe in myself”.
The report showed a downward trend in overall religion numbers in the past two decades.
Some 40 per cent of respondents said they had a religion in 2025, with Christians accounting for 18 per cent, Buddhists 16 per cent, and Catholics 6 per cent. The proportion of people with religions had been on the upward trend since 44 per cent in 1983, peaking at 54 per cent in 2004, before declining to as low as 37 per cent in 2022.
“The main reason for the decline in the number of people with a religion lies in the youth group... Not only did fewer young people start believing, but a substantial percentage has also turned away, leading to religious groups waning in influence and becoming older,” Gallup Korea said.
The Gallup Korea survey also showed that 56 per cent of Buddhist followers are at least 60 years old – higher than the 34 per cent and 32 per cent among Protestant and Catholic Christians, respectively.
Another report showed that the number of Catholic leaders who were senior citizens had nearly doubled in the past 10 years.
Some 19.7 per cent of Catholic priests were aged 65 or above in 2025, compared with the 11 per cent recorded in 2015, according to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea. This coincided with a 41.9 per cent decrease in seminary students and a 42.1 per cent drop in newly appointed priests in the same period. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
