More young Koreans turning away from religion: poll

Only 24 percent of South Koreans in their 20s said they have a religion, down significantly from 45 percent in 2004, according to a 2025 poll by Gallup Korea.

The report on religion in 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 percent, ages 40-41 recorded 39 percent, and ages 50-51 recorded 45 percent in 2025. Those in their 60s accounted for the highest portion, with about 52 percent of respondents saying they followed a religion.

When asked why they did not have a religion, 58 percent of those in their 20s said they were not interested, 20 percent said they don't have the time or headspace, 9 percent attributed disappointment and distrust toward religion, and 9 percent said, "because I believe in myself."

The report showed a downward trend in overall religion numbers in the past two decades.

Some 40 percent of respondents said they had a religion in 2025, with Christians accounting for 18 percent, Buddhists 16 percent, and Catholics 6 percent. The proportion of people with religions had been on the upward trend since 44 percent in 1983, peaking at 54 percent in 2004, before declining to as low as 37 percent 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 percent of Buddhist followers are at least 60 years old — higher than the 34 percent and 32 percent 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 percent of Catholic priests were aged 65 or above in 2025, compared with the 11 percent recorded in 2015, according to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea. This coincided with a 41.9 percent decrease in seminary students and a 42.1 percent drop in newly-appointed priests in the same period.