Nearly 4 out of 10 South Korean adults aged 40 and older said they would rely on a caregiver in the event of old age or illness, according to survey results released Wednesday.
The poll, conducted by the nonprofit Care for All Foundation on 1,000 adults aged 40 and older, found that 39 percent identified caregivers as their primary care providers, followed by 35 percent who said their spouse would take care of them.
The survey also showed that 21 percent said they would care for themselves, while only 4 percent said their children would take care of them.
Expectations of spousal care in old age differ between men and women.
Men were more likely than women to expect their spouses to take on caregiving duties, with 49 percent of men saying their spouse would take care of them while 22 percent of women expected care from their spouse.
Among unmarried respondents, 87 percent expressed concern about the possibility of dying alone, compared with 52 percent of married individuals. Alarmingly, 37 percent of singles said the likelihood was “very high,” six times higher than married respondents.
When it comes to where they would like to receive care, 47 percent of respondents said they wished to remain in their current homes. Meanwhile, 32 percent preferred to move into a care-friendly residence within their local area, and 7 percent said they would live in a nursing facility.
Social isolation remains a major concern. Nearly half said they contact family members they do not live with only once a week or less, and 40 percent said they have no one outside of family to call on in an emergency.
Only 20 percent said they maintained close relationships with neighbors, while 39 percent said they occasionally exchange greetings.
Income also played a role in social isolation. Among those earning under 2 million won per month, 51 percent cited financial difficulty as a reason for not maintaining relationships.
When asked about who should bear responsibility for long-term care, 85 percent said the national government, followed by family at 60 percent, local governments at 45 percent, and communities at 40 eprcent. Only 36 percent said individuals themselves. Similarly, 85 percent supported increasing public spending to expand elder care services.
Kim Yong-ik, chair of the Care and Future Foundation, said the findings should inform national and local government planning across health care, housing, and social welfare.
“As we prepare for the new care integration law, we hope these insights will help build a society where people can age with dignity in their own communities,” he said.
The survey comes ahead of the March 2026 enforcement of a new law aimed at integrating medical and social care within communities.
jychoi@heraldcorp.com
