Number of People With 'No Religion' Rising In Christian South Korea, Survey Shows
More and more people in South Korea – where there is a significant Christian population – are now saying they have no religion, a new government survey showed.
Although 20 percent of South Koreans are Protestants and 8 percent are Roman Catholics, a rising number of the nation's citizens are beginning to deviate away from any religious belief, reported Al Jazeera.
According to a survey by the South Korean government agency, Statistics Korea, those who don't adhere to any religion in the country rose from 47 percent in 2005 to 56 percent in 2015. Majority of these people belong to the younger generation.
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A similar poll conducted by Gallup Korea in 2015 revealed that the number of South Koreans in their 20s who considered themselves religious dropped to 31 percent from 46 percent a decade before that.
However, the number of those who are affiliated with a religion aged 60 years and up, increased.
Korea Institute for Religion and Culture Director Yoon Seung-yong said he expects the trend of people leaving their faith to continue.
"The segments that are most sensitive to social change – especially young and highly educated people – are favoring worldly values over religious ones and leaving their faiths, which has resulted in a gradual aging trend for the religious population," Yoon said.
Because of the rising number of South Koreans leaving their Christian faith, many churches in the nation have adapted to a more modern approach in engaging their members.
While not neglecting the study of Scripture and teachings based on the Bible, the Seoul Cathedral Anglican Church also hosts events where congregants may speak freely of their spiritual concerns and issues they may have and where they can seek the advice of church leaders.
Young Nak Presybterian Church also got inspiration from certain TV panel shows and held open mic discussions among members and church leaders on theology and spiritual matters.
Other churches are using technology to retain the younger generation's interest and engage them in church. SaRang Church created its own mobile phone application with a Bible for members to browse through and be updated on church events and happenings.
