{"content_id":"x2mestfwjx","slug":"income-class-upward-mobility-decline","locale":"en","schema_type":"Article","category":"report","category_name":"Report","title":"Upward Income Mobility at 16.9%: Slowdown and Definitions","summary":"In 2024, 16.9% of those analyzed moved up an income group. Population aging and job conditions for young people are cited as factors, but changes in relative rank must be distinguished from changes in actual income.","sponsorship_disclosure":null,"affiliate_disclosure":null,"commerce_disclosure":null,"author":{"name":"Injoys Editorial Team","url":"https://injoys.com/ko/about"},"key_points":["In 2024, 16.9% of those analyzed moved up an income quantile.","In 2024, 67.0% of those analyzed remained in the same income quantile as the previous year.","A growing share of older people can contribute to a lower overall income mobility rate.","The 39.3% income mobility rate for young people aged 15 to 39 in 2024 includes both upward and downward movement.","Household poverty and wealth disparities cannot be assessed solely from individuals' rankings by employment and business income."],"content_markdown":"People who moved up an income group in 2024 accounted for **16.9%** of those analyzed. This was the lowest rate over the published comparison period. Population aging and job conditions for young people are cited as contributing factors. However, this figure reflects changes in relative ranking rather than income amounts.\n\nThe main figures come from the [Ministry of Data and Statistics' 2024 Income Mobility Statistics](https://www.mods.go.kr/board.es?act=view\u0026bid=0067\u0026list_no=447696\u0026mid=a10301061000\u0026nPage=1\u0026ref_bid=\u0026tag=), released on October 29, 2026.\n\n## What income groups and income quintiles mean\n\nIn these statistics, income groups are based on individuals' rankings by employment and business income. People are divided into five groups, from the lowest income upward. Each group accounts for 20% of the total.\n\n| Category | Meaning in the income ranking |\n| --- | --- |\n| 1st quintile | The bottom 20%, with the lowest incomes |\n| 2nd quintile | Above the 20th percentile, up to and including the 40th percentile |\n| 3rd quintile | Above the 40th percentile, up to and including the 60th percentile |\n| 4th quintile | Above the 60th percentile, up to and including the 80th percentile |\n| 5th quintile | The top 20%, with the highest incomes |\n\nMoving up a quintile means moving into a higher group than in the previous year. Even if your salary rises, your quintile may stay the same if other people's incomes also rise. Remaining in the same quintile therefore does not mean the same thing as income stagnation.\n\nThe unit of analysis is the individual, not the household. Income is the sum of employment and business income from January through December of the relevant year. These groups are not based on the value of homes or financial assets held.\n\n## Income group mobility results for 2024\n\nIn 2024, 33.0% of those analyzed moved to a different quintile from the previous year. This rate includes both upward and downward movement. The share that remained in the same quintile was **67.0%**.\n\n| Indicator | 2024 rate | Change from the previous year |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Upward mobility | 16.9% | Down 0.5 percentage points |\n| Downward mobility | 16.1% | Down 0.7 percentage points |\n| Overall mobility | 33.0% | Down 1.2 percentage points |\n| Remaining in the same quintile | 67.0% | Up 1.2 percentage points |\n\nThe year-on-year change in the retention rate is calculated from the change in the overall mobility rate. The decline in overall mobility also includes a decline in downward mobility. A lower mobility rate therefore cannot be interpreted entirely as a deterioration in living conditions.\n\nIncome growth and upward quintile movement also differ in the actual results. The [Ministry of Data and Statistics' official briefing](https://www.korea.kr/briefing/policyBriefingView.do?newsId=156787115) states that the share whose income increased in 2024 was 61.4%. This is a different indicator from the 16.9% who moved up a quintile.\n\n| Basis for comparison | Change in income amount | Change in income quintile |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| What is compared | One's own income in the previous year | One's relative position among other people |\n| Share that increased in 2024 | 61.4% | 16.9% |\n| Interpretation | Share of people whose income increased | Share of people who moved to a higher quintile |\n\nAn increase in income also does not mean that purchasing power increased by the same amount. Changes in prices must also be considered when assessing living standards. The quintile mobility rate in these statistics does not directly measure the burden of living costs.\n\n## Why income group mobility declined\n\nPopulation aging and job conditions for young people are cited as factors behind slower mobility. The Ministry of Data and Statistics explained both factors in its official briefing. However, it did not specify how much of the decline each factor accounted for.\n\n### A growing share of older people\n\nWhen older people, who have lower mobility rates, make up a larger share of the population, the overall average can also fall. In 2024, mobility rates were lower in older age groups. The rates below combine upward and downward movement within each age group.\n\n| Age group | Age range | 2024 income mobility rate |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Young people | Ages 15 to 39 | 39.3% |\n| Middle-aged people | Ages 40 to 64 | 30% |\n| Older people | At least 65 years old | 25% |\n\nThe overall average is affected by each group's mobility rate and population share. Even if each group's mobility rate stays the same, the average can change depending on the population's composition. This statistical effect needs to be distinguished when interpreting the average.\n\n### Young people's entry into stable jobs\n\nThe decline in mobility within the youth age group is a separate issue. In 2024, the mobility rate for young people fell below 40%. Their upward mobility rate was 22.4%.\n\nThe Ministry of Data and Statistics cites difficulty entering stable, high-income jobs as a contributing factor. Those who cannot enter such jobs may remain in lower quintiles. However, this explanation alone cannot establish why an individual young person's income has stagnated.\n\nPopulation aging alone cannot explain slower mobility within the youth age group. Employment status and changes in income after employment need to be examined separately. This is why the overall average and age-group indicators should be read together.\n\n## Breakdown by group: retention rates in the bottom and top quintiles\n\nIn 2024, retention rates rose from the previous year in both the bottom and top quintiles. Both groups' retention rates increased by 0.6 percentage points. However, the one-year retention rate and the long-term persistence rate are different indicators.\n\n| Starting group and observation period | Share remaining in the same quintile | Meaning |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| From the 1st quintile in 2023 to 2024 | 70.7% | Remained in the bottom 20% the following year |\n| From the 5th quintile in 2023 to 2024 | 90% | Remained in the top 20% the following year |\n| Continuously from the 1st quintile in 2017 through 2024 | 24.9% | Remained in the 1st quintile for 8 consecutive years |\n| Continuously from the 5th quintile in 2017 through 2024 | 56.0% | Remained in the 5th quintile for 8 consecutive years |\n\nThe long-term persistence rate also accounts for whether people moved to another quintile in the intervening years. It does not simply compare their positions in the first and last years. People who left a quintile and later returned must be distinguished from those who remained throughout.\n\nThe 1st and 5th quintiles also differ in the directions they can move. There is no lower quintile for those in the 1st quintile. There is no higher quintile for those in the 5th quintile, making simple comparisons with the middle quintiles difficult.\n\n## Calculation example: upward mobility among the bottom 20%\n\nThe upward mobility rate for the previous year's 1st-quintile group differs from the overall upward mobility rate. The 2024 retention rate for those in the 1st quintile in 2023 was 70%. Everyone else moved to the 2nd through 5th quintiles.\n\n- Formula: 100% - 70.7% = 29.3%\n- Result: The share of the 2023 1st-quintile group that moved upward in 2024 was 29.3%.\n- Comparison: The upward mobility rate for everyone analyzed was 16.9%.\n\nThe 29.3% figure is calculated from the 1st-quintile retention rate. The two rates differ because they are calculated for different groups. This group-level statistic cannot be used as an individual's probability of moving up the following year.\n\n## How are young people with no income reflected in the statistics?\n\nThe main annual comparison of quintile mobility covers people with employment or business income in both years. People with none of this income in either year are therefore excluded from this comparison. Describing this as the upward mobility rate for the entire population would misrepresent the scope of the analysis.\n\nConversely, people do not need to be employed throughout the year to be included. Working for only part of the year can still result in recorded annual income. The official briefing explains the income counting criteria as follows.\n\n\u003e So even if someone has income in January and February and is unemployed for the rest of the period, they are considered to have income.\n\nThis statement comes from the Ministry of Data and Statistics' briefing on the “Results of the 2024 Income Mobility Statistics.” Having income in both years does not mean that employment is stable. Quintile mobility rates alone cannot adequately capture the difficulties young people face in finding their first jobs.\n\nThis scope of analysis points to additional indicators to examine.\n\n- Labor market entry: Whether young people who had no income found jobs\n- Changes after employment: How income amounts and income quintiles changed\n- Employment continuity: How long people worked during the year and whether their employment status was stable\n\n## Declining youth population and labor force projections\n\nThe decline in the youth population is a long-term change that should be distinguished from the current slowdown in income mobility. The mobility rate is the share of people within a group whose quintile changed. Population projections indicate how much that group's size is expected to change in the future.\n\n| Projection source | Population covered | Projection |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Korea Employment Information Service, “Labor Supply and Demand Projections by Major Region, 2022~2032” | Labor force | Projected to decline after peaking at 29,485,000 in 2027 |\n| Statistics Korea, “Population Projections: 2022~2072,” medium variant | Young people aged 19 to 34 | Projected to decline from 10,612,000 in 2022 to 4,510,000 in 2072 |\n\nThe labor force peak comes from the [Korea Employment Information Service's projection](https://www.keis.or.kr/keis/ko/proj/113/pblc/detail.do?categoryIdx=131\u0026pubIdx=11219). It should not be read as an already observed result. Later projections may give a different timing or size.\n\nThe youth population figures are from the medium variant of the [population projections released in 2023](https://mods.go.kr/boardDownload.es?bid=207\u0026list_no=428476\u0026seq=6). These projections apply assumptions about births, deaths, and international migration. Their age range also differs from that of young people in the income mobility statistics.\n\nThe current task is to expand the paths through which young people can raise their incomes after finding employment. In the long term, the group of young people entering the labor market will itself shrink. A decline in the number of young people alone does not establish that entering good jobs will become easier.\n\n## Common mistakes: confusing income mobility with poverty and inequality\n\nIncome mobility, poverty, and inequality are concepts that answer different questions. These statistics focus on changes in individuals' employment and business income. Other indicators are needed to assess household living conditions or wealth gaps.\n\n| Common interpretation | What needs to be distinguished |\n| --- | --- |\n| If the quintile stays the same, income stays the same | Relative quintiles can stay the same even when income increases |\n| Leaving the 1st quintile means escaping poverty | Individual income rankings and household poverty classifications are separate |\n| The top 20% also have the most assets | Employment and business income rankings are separate from asset rankings |\n| A high mobility rate means everyone's living conditions improve | Overall mobility includes downward movement |\n| A decline in mobility is direct evidence of widening inequality | The size of income gaps must be measured separately |\n| These statistics show the inheritance of parents' status | Individuals' year-to-year mobility is separate from mobility between parents and children |\n\nEven when an individual's income is low, other household members may have income. It is therefore difficult to equate the 1st-quintile retention rate with a poverty persistence rate. For the same reason, these figures alone cannot establish that social stratification has become entrenched across society.","content_html":"\u003cp\u003ePeople who moved up an income group in 2024 accounted for \u003cstrong\u003e16.9%\u003c/strong\u003e of those analyzed. This was the lowest rate over the published comparison period. Population aging and job conditions for young people are cited as contributing factors. However, this figure reflects changes in relative ranking rather than income amounts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main figures come from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.mods.go.kr/board.es?act=view\u0026amp;bid=0067\u0026amp;list_no=447696\u0026amp;mid=a10301061000\u0026amp;nPage=1\u0026amp;ref_bid=\u0026amp;tag=\"\u003eMinistry of Data and Statistics' 2024 Income Mobility Statistics\u003c/a\u003e, released on October 29, 2026.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#what-income-groups-and-income-quintiles-mean\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"what-income-groups-and-income-quintiles-mean\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhat income groups and income quintiles mean\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn these statistics, income groups are based on individuals' rankings by employment and business income. People are divided into five groups, from the lowest income upward. Each group accounts for 20% of the total.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCategory\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eMeaning in the income ranking\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Category\"\u003e1st quintile\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Meaning in the income ranking\"\u003eThe bottom 20%, with the lowest incomes\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Category\"\u003e2nd quintile\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Meaning in the income ranking\"\u003eAbove the 20th percentile, up to and including the 40th percentile\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Category\"\u003e3rd quintile\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Meaning in the income ranking\"\u003eAbove the 40th percentile, up to and including the 60th percentile\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Category\"\u003e4th quintile\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Meaning in the income ranking\"\u003eAbove the 60th percentile, up to and including the 80th percentile\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Category\"\u003e5th quintile\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Meaning in the income ranking\"\u003eThe top 20%, with the highest incomes\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMoving up a quintile means moving into a higher group than in the previous year. Even if your salary rises, your quintile may stay the same if other people's incomes also rise. Remaining in the same quintile therefore does not mean the same thing as income stagnation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe unit of analysis is the individual, not the household. Income is the sum of employment and business income from January through December of the relevant year. These groups are not based on the value of homes or financial assets held.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#income-group-mobility-results-for-2024\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"income-group-mobility-results-for-2024\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eIncome group mobility results for 2024\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2024, 33.0% of those analyzed moved to a different quintile from the previous year. This rate includes both upward and downward movement. The share that remained in the same quintile was \u003cstrong\u003e67.0%\u003c/strong\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eIndicator\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003e2024 rate\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChange from the previous year\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Indicator\"\u003eUpward mobility\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"2024 rate\"\u003e16.9%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Change from the previous year\"\u003eDown 0.5 percentage points\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Indicator\"\u003eDownward mobility\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"2024 rate\"\u003e16.1%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Change from the previous year\"\u003eDown 0.7 percentage points\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Indicator\"\u003eOverall mobility\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"2024 rate\"\u003e33.0%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Change from the previous year\"\u003eDown 1.2 percentage points\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Indicator\"\u003eRemaining in the same quintile\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"2024 rate\"\u003e67.0%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Change from the previous year\"\u003eUp 1.2 percentage points\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe year-on-year change in the retention rate is calculated from the change in the overall mobility rate. The decline in overall mobility also includes a decline in downward mobility. A lower mobility rate therefore cannot be interpreted entirely as a deterioration in living conditions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIncome growth and upward quintile movement also differ in the actual results. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.korea.kr/briefing/policyBriefingView.do?newsId=156787115\"\u003eMinistry of Data and Statistics' official briefing\u003c/a\u003e states that the share whose income increased in 2024 was 61.4%. This is a different indicator from the 16.9% who moved up a quintile.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eBasis for comparison\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChange in income amount\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eChange in income quintile\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Basis for comparison\"\u003eWhat is compared\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Change in income amount\"\u003eOne's own income in the previous year\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Change in income quintile\"\u003eOne's relative position among other people\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Basis for comparison\"\u003eShare that increased in 2024\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Change in income amount\"\u003e61.4%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Change in income quintile\"\u003e16.9%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Basis for comparison\"\u003eInterpretation\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Change in income amount\"\u003eShare of people whose income increased\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Change in income quintile\"\u003eShare of people who moved to a higher quintile\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn increase in income also does not mean that purchasing power increased by the same amount. Changes in prices must also be considered when assessing living standards. The quintile mobility rate in these statistics does not directly measure the burden of living costs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#why-income-group-mobility-declined\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"why-income-group-mobility-declined\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eWhy income group mobility declined\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePopulation aging and job conditions for young people are cited as factors behind slower mobility. The Ministry of Data and Statistics explained both factors in its official briefing. However, it did not specify how much of the decline each factor accounted for.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#a-growing-share-of-older-people\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"a-growing-share-of-older-people\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eA growing share of older people\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen older people, who have lower mobility rates, make up a larger share of the population, the overall average can also fall. In 2024, mobility rates were lower in older age groups. The rates below combine upward and downward movement within each age group.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eAge group\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eAge range\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003e2024 income mobility rate\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Age group\"\u003eYoung people\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Age range\"\u003eAges 15 to 39\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"2024 income mobility rate\"\u003e39.3%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Age group\"\u003eMiddle-aged people\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Age range\"\u003eAges 40 to 64\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"2024 income mobility rate\"\u003e30%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Age group\"\u003eOlder people\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Age range\"\u003eAt least 65 years old\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"2024 income mobility rate\"\u003e25%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe overall average is affected by each group's mobility rate and population share. Even if each group's mobility rate stays the same, the average can change depending on the population's composition. This statistical effect needs to be distinguished when interpreting the average.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#young-peoples-entry-into-stable-jobs\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"young-peoples-entry-into-stable-jobs\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eYoung people's entry into stable jobs\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe decline in mobility within the youth age group is a separate issue. In 2024, the mobility rate for young people fell below 40%. Their upward mobility rate was 22.4%.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Ministry of Data and Statistics cites difficulty entering stable, high-income jobs as a contributing factor. Those who cannot enter such jobs may remain in lower quintiles. However, this explanation alone cannot establish why an individual young person's income has stagnated.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePopulation aging alone cannot explain slower mobility within the youth age group. Employment status and changes in income after employment need to be examined separately. This is why the overall average and age-group indicators should be read together.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#breakdown-by-group-retention-rates-in-the-bottom-and-top-quintiles\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"breakdown-by-group-retention-rates-in-the-bottom-and-top-quintiles\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eBreakdown by group: retention rates in the bottom and top quintiles\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2024, retention rates rose from the previous year in both the bottom and top quintiles. Both groups' retention rates increased by 0.6 percentage points. However, the one-year retention rate and the long-term persistence rate are different indicators.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eStarting group and observation period\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eShare remaining in the same quintile\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eMeaning\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Starting group and observation period\"\u003eFrom the 1st quintile in 2023 to 2024\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Share remaining in the same quintile\"\u003e70.7%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Meaning\"\u003eRemained in the bottom 20% the following year\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Starting group and observation period\"\u003eFrom the 5th quintile in 2023 to 2024\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Share remaining in the same quintile\"\u003e90%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Meaning\"\u003eRemained in the top 20% the following year\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Starting group and observation period\"\u003eContinuously from the 1st quintile in 2017 through 2024\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Share remaining in the same quintile\"\u003e24.9%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Meaning\"\u003eRemained in the 1st quintile for 8 consecutive years\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Starting group and observation period\"\u003eContinuously from the 5th quintile in 2017 through 2024\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Share remaining in the same quintile\"\u003e56.0%\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Meaning\"\u003eRemained in the 5th quintile for 8 consecutive years\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe long-term persistence rate also accounts for whether people moved to another quintile in the intervening years. It does not simply compare their positions in the first and last years. People who left a quintile and later returned must be distinguished from those who remained throughout.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1st and 5th quintiles also differ in the directions they can move. There is no lower quintile for those in the 1st quintile. There is no higher quintile for those in the 5th quintile, making simple comparisons with the middle quintiles difficult.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#calculation-example-upward-mobility-among-the-bottom-20\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"calculation-example-upward-mobility-among-the-bottom-20\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eCalculation example: upward mobility among the bottom 20%\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe upward mobility rate for the previous year's 1st-quintile group differs from the overall upward mobility rate. The 2024 retention rate for those in the 1st quintile in 2023 was 70%. Everyone else moved to the 2nd through 5th quintiles.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFormula: 100% - 70.7% = 29.3%\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResult: The share of the 2023 1st-quintile group that moved upward in 2024 was 29.3%.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComparison: The upward mobility rate for everyone analyzed was 16.9%.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 29.3% figure is calculated from the 1st-quintile retention rate. The two rates differ because they are calculated for different groups. This group-level statistic cannot be used as an individual's probability of moving up the following year.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#how-are-young-people-with-no-income-reflected-in-the-statistics\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"how-are-young-people-with-no-income-reflected-in-the-statistics\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eHow are young people with no income reflected in the statistics?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe main annual comparison of quintile mobility covers people with employment or business income in both years. People with none of this income in either year are therefore excluded from this comparison. Describing this as the upward mobility rate for the entire population would misrepresent the scope of the analysis.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConversely, people do not need to be employed throughout the year to be included. Working for only part of the year can still result in recorded annual income. The official briefing explains the income counting criteria as follows.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo even if someone has income in January and February and is unemployed for the rest of the period, they are considered to have income.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis statement comes from the Ministry of Data and Statistics' briefing on the “Results of the 2024 Income Mobility Statistics.” Having income in both years does not mean that employment is stable. Quintile mobility rates alone cannot adequately capture the difficulties young people face in finding their first jobs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis scope of analysis points to additional indicators to examine.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLabor market entry: Whether young people who had no income found jobs\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChanges after employment: How income amounts and income quintiles changed\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEmployment continuity: How long people worked during the year and whether their employment status was stable\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#declining-youth-population-and-labor-force-projections\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"declining-youth-population-and-labor-force-projections\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eDeclining youth population and labor force projections\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe decline in the youth population is a long-term change that should be distinguished from the current slowdown in income mobility. The mobility rate is the share of people within a group whose quintile changed. Population projections indicate how much that group's size is expected to change in the future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eProjection source\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePopulation covered\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eProjection\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Projection source\"\u003eKorea Employment Information Service, “Labor Supply and Demand Projections by Major Region, 2022~2032”\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Population covered\"\u003eLabor force\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Projection\"\u003eProjected to decline after peaking at 29,485,000 in 2027\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Projection source\"\u003eStatistics Korea, “Population Projections: 2022~2072,” medium variant\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Population covered\"\u003eYoung people aged 19 to 34\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Projection\"\u003eProjected to decline from 10,612,000 in 2022 to 4,510,000 in 2072\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe labor force peak comes from the \u003ca href=\"https://www.keis.or.kr/keis/ko/proj/113/pblc/detail.do?categoryIdx=131\u0026amp;pubIdx=11219\"\u003eKorea Employment Information Service's projection\u003c/a\u003e. It should not be read as an already observed result. Later projections may give a different timing or size.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe youth population figures are from the medium variant of the \u003ca href=\"https://mods.go.kr/boardDownload.es?bid=207\u0026amp;list_no=428476\u0026amp;seq=6\"\u003epopulation projections released in 2023\u003c/a\u003e. These projections apply assumptions about births, deaths, and international migration. Their age range also differs from that of young people in the income mobility statistics.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe current task is to expand the paths through which young people can raise their incomes after finding employment. In the long term, the group of young people entering the labor market will itself shrink. A decline in the number of young people alone does not establish that entering good jobs will become easier.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"#common-mistakes-confusing-income-mobility-with-poverty-and-inequality\" class=\"anchor\" id=\"common-mistakes-confusing-income-mobility-with-poverty-and-inequality\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003eCommon mistakes: confusing income mobility with poverty and inequality\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIncome mobility, poverty, and inequality are concepts that answer different questions. These statistics focus on changes in individuals' employment and business income. Other indicators are needed to assess household living conditions or wealth gaps.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"overflow-x-auto\"\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCommon interpretation\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eWhat needs to be distinguished\u003c/th\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Common interpretation\"\u003eIf the quintile stays the same, income stays the same\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What needs to be distinguished\"\u003eRelative quintiles can stay the same even when income increases\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Common interpretation\"\u003eLeaving the 1st quintile means escaping poverty\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What needs to be distinguished\"\u003eIndividual income rankings and household poverty classifications are separate\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Common interpretation\"\u003eThe top 20% also have the most assets\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What needs to be distinguished\"\u003eEmployment and business income rankings are separate from asset rankings\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Common interpretation\"\u003eA high mobility rate means everyone's living conditions improve\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What needs to be distinguished\"\u003eOverall mobility includes downward movement\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Common interpretation\"\u003eA decline in mobility is direct evidence of widening inequality\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What needs to be distinguished\"\u003eThe size of income gaps must be measured separately\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"Common interpretation\"\u003eThese statistics show the inheritance of parents' status\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003ctd data-label=\"What needs to be distinguished\"\u003eIndividuals' year-to-year mobility is separate from mobility between parents and children\u003c/td\u003e\n\u003c/tr\u003e\n\u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven when an individual's income is low, other household members may have income. It is therefore difficult to equate the 1st-quintile retention rate with a poverty persistence rate. For the same reason, these figures alone cannot establish that social stratification has become entrenched across society.\u003c/p\u003e\n","tags":["Labor Market","Income mobility","Population aging"],"faqs":[{"question":"Is the 16.9% upward income mobility rate based on the entire population?","answer":"No. It is the rate among the people included in the analysis, who had employment or business income in both 2023 and 2024. It should not be interpreted as the percentage of the entire population who moved up."},{"question":"Can someone remain in the same income quintile even if their salary increases?","answer":"Yes. An income quintile indicates a person's position relative to others. Even if their income increases, they remain in the same quintile unless they cross the threshold into a higher quintile."},{"question":"Was the upward income mobility rate for young people 39.3% in 2024?","answer":"39.3% is the combined rate of upward and downward mobility among young people aged 15~39. Their upward mobility rate was 22.4%."},{"question":"Is the decline in income mobility due to population aging?","answer":"Population aging is a factor that can lower the overall mobility rate. This is because older people, who have lower mobility rates, account for a growing share of the population. However, mobility has also declined among young people, so population aging alone cannot fully explain it."},{"question":"Does everyone in the bottom 20% by income belong to a household in poverty?","answer":"No. These statistics are based on individuals' employment or business income, not the income of the entire household. To determine whether a household is in poverty, the income of other household members and other factors must also be considered."},{"question":"What does the 24.9% rate of remaining in the first quintile for 8 consecutive years mean?","answer":"It is the percentage of those in the first quintile in 2017 who remained in that quintile throughout the period through 2024. Its observation period differs from that of the 70.7% first-quintile retention rate from 2023 to 2024."},{"question":"Are job seekers who had no income for an entire year also included?","answer":"The main year-to-year comparison of quintile movements requires employment or business income in both years. Anyone with no such income at all in one of the years is excluded from this comparison. Therefore, the difficulty of finding a first job must also be examined using separate employment indicators."},{"question":"Are young people defined by the same age range in the income mobility statistics and the population projections?","answer":"The two sets of statistics cited in this article use different age ranges. The income mobility statistics classify people aged 15~39 as young people. The population projections define the young population as those aged 19~34."},{"question":"Is it an established fact that the labor force will peak in 2027?","answer":"It is a prediction based on the Korea Employment Information Service's labor supply and demand projections for 2022~2032. Since it is not an observed result, the timing or size of the peak may change in subsequent projections."},{"question":"Can the income mobility rate alone tell us whether polarization has worsened?","answer":"The income mobility rate is the percentage of people who moved between quintiles. It does not directly show how much the income gap between higher- and lower-income groups has widened. Changes in inequality must also be examined using income distribution indicators."}],"sources":[{"url":"https://www.mods.go.kr/board.es?act=view\u0026bid=0067\u0026list_no=447696\u0026mid=a10301061000\u0026nPage=1\u0026ref_bid=\u0026tag=","title":"Ministry of Data and Statistics, Results of the 2024 Income Mobility Statistics, October 29, 2026","type":"source"},{"url":"https://www.korea.kr/briefing/policyBriefingView.do?newsId=156787115","title":"Korea Policy Briefing, Official Briefing on the Results of the 2024 Income Mobility Statistics, October 29, 2026","type":"source"},{"url":"https://www.keis.or.kr/keis/ko/proj/113/pblc/detail.do?categoryIdx=131\u0026pubIdx=11219","title":"Korea Employment Information Service, Labor Supply and Demand Projections by Major Region 2022~2032","type":"data_point"},{"url":"https://mods.go.kr/boardDownload.es?bid=207\u0026list_no=428476\u0026seq=6","title":"Statistics Korea, Population Projections: 2022~2072, December 14, 2023","type":"data_point"}],"images":[{"id":2430,"url":"https://injoys.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6Mzc4ODksInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--59494e4eab544fa9864dabb070bb89a4b6590c09/ai-4d4c8b09.webp","is_representative":true,"generation_method":"ai_photo","license":"ai_generated","mime_type":"image/webp","width":1536,"height":1024,"translations":{"ko":{"alt":"실내 채용박람회에서 주황색 목도리와 짙은 코트를 입은 남성이 상담 차례를 기다리고 있다.","caption":"청년층의 일자리 여건은 소득 계층 상승 둔화의 배경으로 꼽힙니다.","description":null},"en":{"alt":"A man in an orange scarf and dark coat waits in line for a consultation at an indoor job fair.","caption":"Employment conditions for young adults are cited as a factor behind slowing upward income mobility.","description":null},"ja":{"alt":"屋内の就職フェアで、オレンジ色のマフラーと濃い色のコートを着た男性が相談の順番を待っている。","caption":"若年層の雇用環境は、所得階層の上昇が鈍化する背景の一つとされています。","description":null},"es":{"alt":"Un hombre con bufanda naranja y abrigo oscuro espera su turno para una consulta en una feria de empleo.","caption":"Las condiciones laborales de los jóvenes se señalan como un factor que frena la movilidad ascendente de ingresos.","description":null},"id":{"alt":"Pria ber syal jingga dan mantel gelap mengantre untuk konsultasi di bursa kerja dalam ruangan.","caption":"Kondisi lapangan kerja bagi kaum muda disebut sebagai salah satu latar belakang melambatnya mobilitas pendapatan ke atas.","description":null},"pt":{"alt":"Um homem de cachecol laranja e casaco escuro aguarda sua vez para uma conversa em uma feira de empregos.","caption":"As condições de emprego dos jovens são apontadas como um fator na desaceleração da mobilidade ascendente de renda.","description":null},"zh-hant":{"alt":"一名戴橘色圍巾、穿深色大衣的男子，在室內就業博覽會排隊等候諮詢。","caption":"青年就業環境被列為所得階層向上流動趨緩的背景因素之一。","description":null},"de":{"alt":"Ein Mann mit orangefarbenem Schal und dunklem Mantel wartet auf einer Jobmesse auf ein Beratungsgespräch.","caption":"Die Arbeitsmarktlage junger Menschen gilt als ein Faktor für den verlangsamten Aufstieg in höhere Einkommensgruppen.","description":null}}},{"id":2431,"url":"https://injoys.com/rails/active_storage/blobs/proxy/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsiZGF0YSI6Mzc4OTUsInB1ciI6ImJsb2JfaWQifX0=--b7e19f832a12f099977929a4022bc9a2742d7909/ai-d9f225b3.webp","is_representative":false,"generation_method":"ai_semi","license":"ai_generated","mime_type":"image/webp","width":1536,"height":1024,"translations":{"ko":{"alt":"봉제 작업장에서 고령 여성이 작업등 아래 파란 재킷의 솔기를 살펴보고, 뒤에서는 다른 여성들이 일하고 있다.","caption":"고령층 비중 증가는 전체 소득이동률을 낮추는 요인으로 작용할 수 있습니다.","description":null},"en":{"alt":"An older woman inspects a blue jacket’s seam under a task lamp as other women work in a garment workshop.","caption":"A growing share of older adults can contribute to lower overall income mobility.","description":null},"ja":{"alt":"縫製作業場で高齢の女性が作業灯の下で青いジャケットの縫い目を確かめ、後方では他の女性たちが働いている。","caption":"高齢層の割合の増加は、全体の所得階層間の移動率を低下させる要因になり得ます。","description":null},"es":{"alt":"Una mujer mayor revisa la costura de una chaqueta azul bajo una lámpara en un taller de confección.","caption":"Una mayor proporción de personas mayores puede contribuir a reducir la movilidad general de ingresos.","description":null},"id":{"alt":"Seorang perempuan lansia memeriksa jahitan jaket biru di bawah lampu kerja di sebuah bengkel jahit.","caption":"Peningkatan proporsi penduduk lansia dapat turut menurunkan mobilitas pendapatan secara keseluruhan.","description":null},"pt":{"alt":"Uma mulher idosa examina a costura de uma jaqueta azul sob uma luminária em uma oficina de confecção.","caption":"Uma proporção maior de idosos pode contribuir para reduzir a mobilidade geral de renda.","description":null},"zh-hant":{"alt":"一名年長女性在製衣工坊的工作燈下檢查藍色外套的縫線，後方還有其他女性正在工作。","caption":"高齡人口占比增加，可能成為拉低整體所得階層流動率的因素。","description":null},"de":{"alt":"Eine ältere Frau prüft unter einer Arbeitslampe die Naht einer blauen Jacke in einer Nähwerkstatt.","caption":"Ein wachsender Anteil älterer Menschen kann die Einkommensmobilität insgesamt verringern.","description":null}}}],"published_at":"2026-11-04T23:10:43+09:00","updated_at":"2026-11-04T23:10:43+09:00","license":"cc_by","translation_status":"reviewed","available_locales":["ko","en","ja","es"],"data_locales":["ko","en","ja","es","id","pt","zh-hant","de"],"url":"https://injoys.com/en/articles/income-class-upward-mobility-decline"}