More than half of Seoul residents support the introduction of a 4.5-day workweek, while nine out of 10 residents in their teens through 40s have used artificial intelligence services, according to a new city survey.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government released the 2025 Seoul Survey results on Wednesday. The annual statistical survey, conducted since 2003, examines citizens' quality of life, values, and changing social perceptions to inform city administration.
Among 5,000 Seoul residents surveyed, 54.5% agreed with implementing a 4.5-day workweek—5.5 percentage points higher than the 49.0% who supported a four-day workweek. Respondents cited expanded leisure and hobby time (60.8%), improved work-life balance (53.8%), and better mental and physical health (49.2%) as expected benefits.
Some 86.3% of residents reported having used AI services. Usage rates by age group were 98.8% for those in their 20s and younger, 97.0% for those in their 30s, 93.9% for those in their 40s, 86.0% for those in their 50s, and 68.7% for those 60 and older. The most commonly used AI services were conversational AI (60.0%), AI translation tools (48.2%), and automated content and product recommendation services (45.0%). Residents rated AI-based public services as most needed in transportation (7.56 points), isolation prevention (7.33 points), and healthcare (7.28 points).
Regarding retirement living preferences, 43.3% of respondents said they would prefer to remain in their current home if healthy in old age, while 30.9% said they would still prefer their current residence even if their health deteriorated.
Approximately 87% of respondents said they are preparing retirement funds. The city interpreted this as indicating that "amid structural changes accompanying the transition to a super-aged society, citizens view old age not as a 'vague future' but as 'a present task requiring preparation.'"
Meanwhile, leisure satisfaction declined from 5.81 points in 2024 to 5.67 points in 2025. The most common reason for dissatisfaction was lack of time, cited by 39.2% of respondents. The proportion saying they maintain good work-life balance fell from 37.8% to 29.9%, while those saying they are focused on work rose from 33.8% to 43.4%. These trends were particularly pronounced among those in their 30s and 40s, college graduates, and white-collar workers.
The survey was conducted through in-home interviews with 20,000 Seoul households, online and in-home interviews with 5,000 residents, and in-person interviews with 2,500 foreign nationals. Results are available on the Seoul Open Data Plaza.
"Through this analysis of new survey questions, we were able to understand citizens' views on structural changes in labor, digitalization, and the super-aged society," said Kang Ok-hyun, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Digital City Bureau. "We will reflect these changing perceptions in the policy design process and operate city administration in ways that provide practical help to citizens' lives."