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More than half of S. Koreans see themselves as poor: poll

March 12, 2013 - 09:07 By 윤민식
Six out of 10 South Koreans think they belong in the low-income bracket, a poll showed Tuesday, apparently reflecting their falling income due to the country's protracted economic slump.

According to the nationwide survey of 5,732 households by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, 61.8 percent said their income hovers below the national median.

Another 33.8 percent responded they belong in the middle-income bracket, and 4.1 percent believed themselves to be in the upper-middle class, the poll showed. Only 0.3 percent responded they belong in the upper-income bracket.

South Korean households' average financial assets came to 44.2 million won ($40,317), with the middle-income respondents holding 54.6 million won on average. The low-income bracket held 12.3 million won.

According to the findings, 65.8 percent of South Koreans believed the country's economy is performing worse in 2013 than a year earlier, while 9.2 percent responded it has improved.

The survey also showed that 50.2 percent of the respondents believed social integration has deteriorated in South Korea in 2013 from a year earlier, while only 7.3 percent said it has improved.

Meanwhile, only 12.7 percent of the respondents made at least one donation or participated in a social volunteer work last year.

Their average annual contribution came to 360,000 won last year and they volunteered eight times. Households in the low-income bracket participated 18 times in voluntary services on average, according to the findings. (Yonhap News)