Immigration for Job, 59 Percent Increase from 1999

Koreans work 47.3 hours per week on average and turn to drinking and smoking for releasing stress rather than pursuing other leisurely activities.

Families with women as the head of the household increased 23.6 percent from five years ago to 2,653,000 families, and make up 18.5 percent of the total number of families. Families with women as head of households have steadily increased every year since 1980 when they made up 14.7 percent of the total. According to the National Statistical Office`s (NSO) `2001 Social Index of Korea` published on the 25th, an average Korean family has 3.1 persons. The average number of family members has gradually decreased with 4.5 persons in 1980 and 3.3 persons in 1995, indicating a trend of growing nuclear family structure.

The average life span is 75.6 years, which has increased by 13.3 years since 1971. The elderly over 65 years of age make up 7.6 percent of the total population with 3,579,000 persons.

The index of future elderly population is 36.3 percent, calculated by dividing the elderly population by youth below 14 years of age, and is likely to be larger than the youth population by 2019.

There were 11,472,000 homes in November 1, 2000 and the rate of homeownership is 96.2 percent. 26,816,000 people subscribed to mobile telephone service at the end of 2000, an average of 2.25 persons per family. 57 persons out of 100 owns a mobile phone in Korea, a larger number than the U.S. (40.0 persons) and Japan (52.7 persons). 16,807,000 persons subscribe to PC telecommunication service, which increased 65.5 percent from 1999.

8369 persons (including dependents) left Korea to find work abroad, which is an increase of 58.9 percent from the 5267 figure in 1999. The number of people looking for work abroad has risen every year with 1130 persons in 1980, 2737 persons in 1990, 6573 persons in 1995.

Chan-Sun Hong hcs@donga.com