Eight out of 10 Koreans wish to emigrate, leaving "Hell Joseon," a newly coined term referring to how tough life is here.
According to recruitment portal Saramin's survey of 1,655 adults, 78.6 percent said they would emigrate if they could.
People in their 30s made up the highest percentage, followed by those in their 20s, those in their 40s and those in their 50s and above.
The survey reflects how difficult it is for young people to find a job and settle down.
The dominant reason for wanting to leave the country was because they "needed a work life balance.”
This was followed by poor working conditions, severe income inequality, anxiety about jobs and life after retirement, the competitive environment and because "the country does not protect its people."
In addition, 47.9 percent of those who said they wished to emigrate were already preparing to leave.
Meanwhile, the respondents cited wealth disparity as the greatest problem of Korean society. This was followed by the tough job market for young people and “the societal atmosphere that incites competition.”