More than one in 10 Korean adults do not exercise at all, a new survey found. The proportion of those who exercise regularly has also declined, with overall exercise participation falling to its lowest level in three years.
According to the "2025 Health Perception Survey" conducted by the Korea Health Promotion Institute on 2,000 adults released on the 27th, 12.7% of respondents said they "do not exercise at all." This marks a sharp increase from 8.0% in 2023 and 8.1% in 2024.
The group with extremely low exercise frequency also grew. Those who said they exercise "less than once a month" accounted for 8.7%, up slightly from 8.4% the previous year. Combined, the two categories represent 21.4% of the total, meaning one in five adults effectively does not exercise even once a month.
The proportion of those who exercise regularly showed an overall declining trend. Respondents who said they exercise "almost every day" fell to 22.7%, down sharply from 26.9% the previous year. Those who said they exercise "at least once a week" also declined to 42.7% from 44.8%.
The average score measuring exercise consistency and regularity also dropped. The score, which stood at 3.7 points in both 2023 and 2024, fell to 3.5 points in 2025. The trend points to a weakening of overall exercise habits.
By age group, older adults showed relatively higher levels of exercise participation. Scores for sustained and regular exercise were 3.5 points for those in their 20s and 30s, 3.4 points for those in their 40s and 50s, and 3.8 points for those aged 60 and older. The data confirmed that older adults tend to exercise more consistently than younger groups.
Certain demographic groups showed higher exercise rates. Among respondents with children, 25.4% said they exercise "almost every day," compared with 19.4% for those without children. Respondents with chronic diseases also showed a slightly higher rate at 23.7%, compared with 21.5% for those without. The results suggest that those who feel a greater need for health management tend to incorporate exercise into their daily routine.
The most cited reason for not exercising was "weak willpower and laziness," at 35.8%. This was followed by "too busy with work or daily life to find time" at 20.7%, and "tried but did not feel any change" at 8.8%.
