About 3 out of 4 South Koreans in their 20s have no religious affiliation, underscoring rising disinterest among younger generations and a broader trend of religious aging, according to survey data.A Gallup Korea survey found that 40 percent of Korean adults currently identify as religious -- 18 percent Protestant, 16 percent Buddhist and 6 percent Catholic. The share of religious adults rose from 44 percent in 1983 to a peak of 54 percent in 2004, before declining to 37 percent in 2022 and rebounding slightly to 40 percent this year.Religiosity varies significantly by age group. Only 24 percent of those in their 20s reported having a religion, compared with 29 percent in their 30s, 37 percent in their 40s, 45 percent in their 50s and 52 percent among those aged 60 and above.Among nonreligious respondents in their 20s, the most common reason cited was lack of interest at 58 percent, followed by lack of time or mental space at 20 percent, distrust or disappointment in religion at 9 percent and belief in self-reliance at 9 percent.
don@heraldcorp.com
