The year 2025 marks the return of the 'Census.' Also known as the 'Population and Housing Census,' it is the largest national statistical survey conducted by the National Statistical Office every five years, targeting all citizens. The statistics obtained through the Census provide extremely 'basic' information about our lives, such as population, households, and dwellings, yet they are also the most 'important' records for understanding the social and economic conditions of the era. It has already been 100 years since the Census was first conducted. What does the history of the Republic of Korea, revealed through 100 years of Census data, look like? We will revisit this through the '100 years of Census.' [Editor's note]

The questions that make up the Census represent the 'concerns' of the era. In the first Census in 1925, only five items were surveyed: name, gender, birth date (then only the year of birth), marital status (marital status), and place of registration and nationality. These elements serve as the basic components of the population, which have continued to persist to this day.

Over the past 100 years, numerous items have been added and removed after extensive deliberation by various experts. In the 1950s, there were questions about whether individuals had lost limbs due to the war, and in the 1960s and 70s, inquiries about literacy status, types of cooking stoves, and toilets were included. This year, items related to 'cohabiting without marriage' and 'young carers' are being introduced. The number of Census questions, which started with five a century ago, has grown to 55 today.

Partial survey form of the '2020 Census'. /Courtesy of Park So-jung.

◇ In 1960, items included 'cooking stove and toilet'; in 2000, items included 'mobile phones and automobiles'

During the Japanese occupation, the Census was conducted to identify the mobilization of personnel during wartime. This was the case for the Censuses held in 1940 and 1944 during the Second Sino-Japanese War. In 1940, questions included 'designated functions,' 'military service status,' 'place of birth,' 'place of residence,' and 'industry and occupation' (as of July 1, 1937, when the war began, and as of October 1, 1940). Similar items were included in the 1944 survey.

The 1955 Census, conducted after the Korean War, introduced questions about disabilities. At that time, the term 'disabled person' was used, as the goal was to assess the extent of war-related injuries. The items included 'total blindness - both/one eye,' 'amputation - both/one limb,' and 'deafness.' In 1980, questions began to focus on mental and physical disabilities to determine whether household members faced difficulties in daily life.

There was a time when literacy status was surveyed. In 1930, during the Japanese occupation, questions were posed such as 'Can you read and write Kana (仮名)?' and 'Can you read and write Hangul (諺文)?' The last inquiry regarding literacy was in 1970 when the question 'Can you read and write?' was asked. Currently, educational attainment and major field of study are being asked.

In the 1960s, a statistician visits a household to conduct the census. /Courtesy of National Archives.

Beginning in 1960, when infant mortality was common, the total number of births began to be recorded. Particularly from 1966, the total number of births was differentiated into 'surviving children' and 'deceased children.' This item remained until the most recent Census but is no longer being surveyed this year due to criticisms that it is 'anachronistic.' In 2005, with the issue of low birth rates becoming prominent, questions about 'planned additional children' were also introduced.

The investigation into 'dwellings' also began in 1960. At that time, inquiries were made regarding the presence of kitchens, bathrooms, granaries, lighting, radios, and barns. Questions about the types of toilet facilities, such as 'cement' and 'flush toilets,' were also included. Questions about dwellings evolved as housing styles changed. In 1970, the availability of water supply facilities was surveyed, and in 1980, the nature of bathing facilities was addressed. The type of residence category, which was simplistic with 'individual,' 'hotel/boarding house,' and 'public building' in 1960, has vastly expanded to ten types, including 'apartments' and 'officetels' today.

Since the 2000s, inquiries regarding the number of vehicles owned began to be included. Additionally, questions about the use of computers and the internet, as well as whether individuals use personal communication devices, also emerged. The personal portable devices listed included 'mobile phones,' 'pager,' and 'none,' with respondents selecting how frequently they use these devices from options such as 'daily,' 'at least once a week,' and 'at least once a month.'

On Oct. 26, caregivers meet newborns at Ain Hospital in Incheon Michuhol District. /Courtesy of News1.

◇ This year, the focus is on 'low birth rates, caregiving, and multiculturalism'… 'pets' are omitted

The Census is not only for basic understanding of social conditions but also necessary materials for establishing 'key policies' of the time. For this reason, the National Statistical Office takes great care in selecting items by seeking the demands and consultations from various sectors of society and government departments prior to conducting the Census.

This year, amid the significant crisis of low birth rates and aging population issues, the 'cohabitation without marriage' item is being introduced for the first time. This is to capture the status of households living together without any form of legal marriage, including de facto partnerships. This can relate not only to the issue of declining birth rates but also to societal diversity.

A National Statistical Office official noted, 'Currently, policies are primarily crafted for individuals who have registered their marriages, but support is also needed for people outside the legal framework,' and added, 'There was a consensus on the need to accurately measure the scale of households cohabiting without marriage.' They also stated, 'By posing such questions, we aim to instill awareness among the public that it is time to accept an expanded concept of family beyond traditional forms.'

Items related to 'family caregiving time' will also be specified and added. A National Statistical Office official said, 'We aim to understand who within the family is caring for individuals in need of assistance due to disabilities, health, or aging issues, and how much care is provided.' They added, 'This could serve as a moment to investigate the issue of 'young carers' who need to focus on their schooling but cannot due to needing to care for someone at home.'

An elderly person in a wheelchair. /Courtesy of Chosunilbo.

For the first time, questions about 'Korean language proficiency' among foreigners will be asked. While similar inquiries have been made in regional surveys such as employment surveys, this is the first time such a question has been incorporated into the Census. A National Statistical Office official explained, 'As the number of multicultural households increases, the predominant language used within a household can be a significant issue regarding family relationships.'

Additionally, this year's Census will include the 'religion' item, which is conducted every ten years during years ending with '5,' drawing considerable interest from the religious community. During the 2015 Census, it drew attention when the population identifying as 'Protestant' first surpassed that identifying as 'Buddhist.'

As new items are added according to the times, some items will be omitted. The child mortality survey, which included the number of deceased children, as well as items regarding 'pets,' 'waste management facilities,' and 'marriage timing,' will no longer be included. Such matters can be sufficiently gathered from administrative data or understood through other surveys that do not require a Census.

Vice Administrator Choi Yeon-ok of the Statistics Korea demonstrates the process by visiting a facility household subject to the 3rd 'test survey' of the Census on May 3 last year in Sejong City. /Courtesy of Statistics Korea.

◇ "55 questions, about 10 minutes per person… please be sure to participate"

Constructing the Census items requires consideration not only of the purpose of statistical collection but also of the 'respondent's burden' in answering, making it quite a challenge. The number of items cannot be suddenly increased all at once, and the content must not provoke respondents' feelings or be discriminatory. However, since it is a 'precious' opportunity to collect a large volume of information, it also cannot be conducted too simplistically.

It is said by officials from the National Statistical Office that significant discussions are held dozens of times for the inclusion or exclusion of a single item. This year, the number of Census items remains at 55, the same as in the previous '2020 Population and Housing Census.' Responding to the items is expected to take about 10 minutes per person, and if there are 2 to 3 household members, it will take about 20 to 30 minutes. Kim Seo-young, a director at the National Statistical Office, expressed gratitude saying, 'We would appreciate it if you could respond sincerely, knowing that it serves as a crucial basis for policies directed toward you.'

☞Reference materials

Kim Min-kyung, former Vice Administrator of the National Statistical Office, 2018, "Korea's Population and Housing Census"

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