Seoul: This year's population and housing census will incorporate significant changes to better capture the nation's shifting social and economic landscape, as the survey marks its 100th anniversary, the statistics agency said Thursday. Conducted every five years, the population and housing census offers a comprehensive snapshot of the nation's demographics and residential conditions through field surveys and data verification.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Statistics Korea announced in a press release that the survey items for this year have been carefully selected to accurately reflect the country's diverse and rapidly changing social and economic conditions, while also minimizing the burden on respondents. To keep pace with evolving societal trends, such as changing views on marriage and the rise of multicultural families, the agency has introduced new categories in the questionnaire.
One notable addition is the inclusion of a category for "non-marital cohabitation," which aims to capture the growing acceptance of alternative living arrangements outside traditional marriage. "The new questions are designed to reflect the public's changing perceptions of marriage and cohabitation," the agency added.
Statistics Korea also noted that the updated survey would provide foundational data for policymaking by capturing the increasingly diverse types of households in Korean society. In an effort to encourage participation among foreign residents, the questionnaire will be available in 20 languages. Foreigners, regardless of their visa or residency status, will be randomly selected for the survey.