The decline in reading reflects the increasing consumption of digital content. Getty Imagebank

Koreans are not really into reading, a government survey released on Thursday showed.

The survey found that six out of 10 Korean adults did not read a single book last year, reporting a significant decline in all reading-related indicators, such as the number of people who read books, the number of books read and the amount of books bought.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism-led survey asked 5,000 Korean adults and 2,400 students from fourth grade through high school.

The reading rate for adults during the period from September 2022 to August 2023 was 43 percent, the lowest since the survey began in 1994.

The rate, which reflects the percentage of people who have read or listened to at least one book in a year, has fallen by 4.5 percentage points compared to the previous survey conducted in 2021.

The study also found a growing disparity in reading habits based on income levels, with lower-income individuals increasingly distancing themselves from books.

The decline in reading reflects the increasing consumption of digital content and the fast pace of modern life, which leaves less time for traditional reading, it said.

Adults on average read just 3.9 books last year, but this figure drops to 1.7 when excluding webtoons and focusing solely on printed books.

People read books during an event to promote reading at Cheonggye Stream on April 1. Yonhap

Gap depending on income levels

Moreover, the average number of printed books purchased per person was a mere one book, with electronic books averaging slightly higher at 1.2 books per person.

The highest reading rates were seen among those in their 20s, who had a comprehensive reading rate of 74.5 percent, though this still represented a decline of 3.6 percentage points from the previous survey.

Reading rates for individuals in their 30s and 40s stood at 68 percent and 47.9 percent, respectively, while those over 60 experienced the most significant drop, plunging 8.1 percentage points to just 15.5 percent.

Income levels and reading rates were correlated according to the survey. Individuals earning less than 2 million won ($1,438) per month had a reading rate of only 9.8 percent, compared to 54.7 percent among those earning over 5 million won per month — a gap that underscores the socio-economic challenges in fostering a reading culture.

These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted policies and initiatives to encourage book reading across all segments of society, especially among those with lower incomes and the elderly, who are increasingly being left behind in the digital age.

Adults cite "lack of time due to work" as the primary barrier to reading. Getty Imagebank

Troubling trend

The survey notes the trend is troubling as reading increasingly less favored is correlated with increasing cases of dyslexia and a general dceline in people's ability to concentrate.

Adults cite "lack of time due to work" (24.4 percent) as the primary barrier to reading. Other significant factors include the use of alternative media such as smartphones and games (23.4 percent) and a lack of established reading habits (11.3 percent). For students, the main impediment is the time consumed by their studies (31.2 percent).

The publishing industry views this plummeting reading rate as a concern. Despite the decline in readership, the number of new publishing houses continues to surge each year.

There were 77,324 registered publishing companies last year, the survey showed. With 3,000 to 4,000 new publishers emerging annually, including single-person operations, the number is expected to soon surpass the total number of coffee shops nationwide, which stands close to 100,000.

An official from a publishing company said, "There are more people producing books than reading them. An ongoing supply with no demand could eventually debilitate the entire industry, leading to a decline in publishing quality."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, sister publication of The Korea Times, was translated by generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.