Arya News - Foreign residents reported continued difficulties navigating public services, according to the city’s annual survey.
SEOUL – Seoul residents’ overall happiness index rose 0.07 points in 2025 from a year earlier to 6.61 out of 10, with satisfaction increasing in green space, though foreign residents reported continued difficulties navigating public services, according to the city’s annual survey released Wednesday.
The Seoul Survey, conducted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government since 2003, measures citizens’ quality of life and changes in values amid shifting social conditions. This year’s survey covered 20,000 households, 5,000 citizens and 2,500 foreign residents living in Seoul.
Scores increased across all detailed categories, including health, financial conditions, family life and social life.
The proportion of residents satisfied with the city’s green spaces rose 8.3 percentage points on-year to 63.4 percent. Overall satisfaction with public transportation also improved, climbing from 6.82 in 2024 to 7.04 in 2025.
Among households with preschool children, 90 percent said they were satisfied with childcare institutions such as daycare centers and kindergartens, reflecting strong evaluations of the city’s childcare infrastructure.
Foreign residents gave high marks for education, welfare and safety. City officials attributed the results to gradual improvements in overall urban living conditions.
However, 31.3 percent of foreign residents said they had difficulty handling civil complaints at public administrative offices, while 31.1 percent cited challenges in securing economic opportunities.
“We will continue to closely monitor indicators related to citizens’ daily lives and strengthen data-driven city administration by reflecting the survey results in policy design and improvement,” said Kang Ok-hyeon, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Digital City Bureau.