Social Safety
According to Seoul Metropolitan Government’s “2013 Seoul Survey” on June 25, 57 percent of Seoul citizens regarded Seoul as more dangerous than 10 years ago, 24.5 percent think the conditions are similar, while 18.5 percent say the city is less dangerous.
There was evidence of anxiety in regards to security among citizens as 48.3 percent were concerned there will be increasing danger in 10 years. A mere 15.9 percent responded that there will be less danger, while 35.8 percent predicts that the conditions will be similar to today.
These oral survey results were taken in October last year from 47,386 citizens above the age of 15.
Seoul citizens picked crimes of violence (6.23 on a ten-point scale), economic crisis (6.15), nuclear accidents (6.14), traffic accidents (6.09), unemployment (6.01), and disease (5.92) as the main areas of concern in the city.
Parking accidents were selected as a threat to living safety (36.9 percent), followed by littering in the streets, crimes, and physical violence.
Additionally, three out of ten households (32.5 percent) experienced danger in their families. The causes were bad health of a family member (35.4 percent), living apart from one another (35.1 percent), or work troubles (19.8 percent).
Factors that most threaten family life in the results were isolation and suicide among the elderly (53.1 percent) and divorce (53 percent). Other concerns were being childless, low birth rate, unsociable tendencies, shrinking parental roles as well as falling family values, and conflicts from distributing family property.
Seoul citizens scored an average of 72.2 out of 100 points in this year’s first survey on their rate of happiness.
Younger citizens as well as those with higher income had higher levels of happiness. The level of happiness arranged by marital status showed single citizens as highest with 74.5, followed by those married (72.7), divorced or separated (65), and lastly, separated by death (61.5). Citizens who made donations showed higher rate of happiness (73.9) compared to those who did not. (71.3).
Seventy percent of baby boomers born between 1955 and 1963 hope to receive a monthly income between one million to two million won, and wish for a small business (21.8 percent) or flexible working environment (17 percent) as income sources.
A little over thirty-two percent of baby boomer households earn a high salary of 5 million won, while 44 percent have earned at least a college degree. However, half of their properties come from real estate and 51.5 percent suffer from debt.
Although a three percent less rate in debt is shown this year (as opposed to 47.9 percent last year) about half the citizens are still unreleased from debt.
A little over half of Seoul citizens (50.4 percent) regard their political, economical, and social status as mid to lower class, while 35.3 percent answered positively to possibilities in change of status, while 32.9 percent answered negatively.
Seoul citizens measured 75.7 out of 100 as their level of pride as citizens, higher by 2.2 than last year, and the highest since the first survey was taken in 2008.