'2 out of 3 Korean parents feel responsible for child's success or failure'

[홀랜]

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Some 66.9 percent of South Korean parents hold themselves accountable for their children's accomplishments in life, whether positive or negative, a survey by a government-funded research institute showed Wednesday.

The Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs released the results of their September 2024 survey of 1,600 men and women between the ages of 45 and 69 who were parents to individuals between ages 19 and 34. The survey asked parents about their perceived accountability for their children's success or failure, along with their views of what their parental relationship should be.

When asked if they agree with the statement "parents hold responsibility over success and failure of their child," 58.1 percent said they somewhat agree while 8.8 percent said they wholeheartedly agree. Around two-thirds of both men and women agreed with this premise — 68.5 percent of men and 65.5 percent of women — while the positive response rate was higher among those with academic backgrounds of at least university-level education (73.6 percent).

Those aged between 55 and 59 were most likely to assume accountability for their children's accomplishments out of all age groups.

The researchers noted that those generally regarded as socially successful were more likely to link themselves to their children’s' success.

"The response pattern (in the survey) shows that parents feeling responsible for their children's success and failure is more than just due to moral reasons. The disparity in response rate in accordance with gender, age, and social class implies that parents' upbringing and support affects the success or failure of each individual," the researchers said.

The survey also inquired as to what respondents thought the ideal relationship between parents and adult children should be. Some 76.2 percent of respondents thought each party should be independent of each other, while 7.4 percent thought parents should support their adult children and 3.4 percent said children should support parents.

While most respondents thought adult children should be financially independent, they were also open to providing for their children at least into the early stages of adulthood. Some 83.9 percent said they are willing to provide for their children’s' college tuition, 70.1 percent said they will cover wedding costs, 62.9 percent said they would offer support for children until they get a job and 61.7 percent said they would provide financial support for children when buying a home.

A substantial number of young adults shared the belief that parents should provide for at least tertiary education. As part of the same report, researchers surveyed 1,000 adults aged 19-34 about the financial support of their parents, in which 68.4 percent said parents should cover the costs of higher education.

Around 62.2 percent said parents should provide for children at least until they are able to stand on their own financially, while 53.4 percent and 45.1 percent thought it is ideal for parents to help out children with weddings and buying a home, respectively.

minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com