"Mom, I'm Sorry" Independent Young Adults Returning Home Due to COVID-19 [Heo Midam's Youth Report]

8 out of 10 Adults Say "Economic Pressure Has Greatly Increased Since COVID-19"
Increase in 'Kangaroo Tribe' Economically Dependent on Parents
Experts Say "Uncertainty About the Future Leads to Anxiety"

Job seekers in front of the job posting board. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam]

Editor's NoteHow is your youth remembered? From teenagers to college students and office workers, we deliver the joys and sorrows unique to 'youth.'

"I feel sorry for being indebted to my parents.", "Financially, my only support is my parents."

As jobs have decreased due to the impact of COVID-19, young people in their 20s and 30s who have lost economic independence are choosing to rely on their parents, so-called 'Kangaroo tribe.' The term 'Kangaroo tribe' is a neologism referring to people who cannot become independent and depend financially on their parents.

In particular, as some companies facing management difficulties notify employees of layoffs through restructuring, even office workers who had decided to live independently are returning to their parents' homes citing living expenses. Experts analyze that due to the increased uncertainty about the future caused by COVID-19, phenomena like the 'Kangaroo tribe' have become more frequent.

Youth are suffering from economic pressure caused by COVID-19. According to a recent survey by Job Korea of 2,327 office workers, part-time workers, and job seekers on the topic of 'economic situation after COVID-19,' 79.2% of respondents answered that 'economic pressure has increased due to COVID-19.'

Also, when asked whether they currently feel economically stable, ▲somewhat unstable (49.1%) ▲very unstable (26.6%) responded. The percentage of those feeling economically unstable was as high as 62.7% even among office workers who already have jobs.

Lee (26), an office worker with six months of experience, said, "Since it's a small company, it wouldn't be surprising to be laid off anytime. I want to change jobs if I could, but it's not easy to find a job these days." He added, "I'm trying to build my career by staying here, but everything feels very unstable."

He continued, "I came from the provinces to Seoul for my dream, but it feels empty," and said, "Sometimes I wonder if staying here is just a foolish thing. I just want to give up everything and go back to my parents' home."

Some companies facing financial difficulties due to COVID-19 are encouraging employees to accept layoffs or voluntary resignations. The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

As economic difficulties worsened due to COVID-19, the number of 'Kangaroo tribe' who financially depend on their parents has also increased. In the same survey, half of the respondents (49.0%) answered, 'I am part of the Kangaroo tribe.' Especially, one in three respondents (32.2%) said, 'I became part of the Kangaroo tribe after COVID-19.'

In summary, young people have been forced to become 'Kangaroo tribe' due to worsening economic conditions caused by COVID-19. This phenomenon has intensified as some companies facing management difficulties have encouraged layoffs and voluntary resignations among employees.

According to a survey by the employment portal Incruit last month of 631 office workers on 'layoff experiences after COVID-19,' 68.1% of respondents said they were encouraged to resign or were laid off against their will. Among them, the rate of layoffs after COVID-19 was as high as 30.2%.

Kim (27), who worked at a gym for a year and resigned last month, also decided to become part of the Kangaroo tribe. Kim said, "After COVID-19 broke out, the gym's situation worsened, and I eventually had to leave the company. I tried to find a similar job afterward, but it’s not easy due to COVID-19." He added, "These days, even paying rent is difficult. Without income, daily life becomes lethargic."

He continued, "I’m not going to my parents' house because I want to, but because I have no choice. How can I stay here without money?" he lamented.

The photo is unrelated to specific expressions in the article. [Image source=Yonhap News]

However, from the parents' perspective, it is not easy to relieve the burden of financial support. Kang (54), who has a working child, said, "I understand supporting children until they establish themselves in society to some extent," but added, "It becomes burdensome when they expect a lot of financial support."

He confessed, "If children demand a lot of money, the money we prepared for our retirement disappears, so realistically, it might cause some difficulties."

According to a report titled 'Public Awareness and Needs Monitoring for Low Birthrate and Aging Society' by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs in June last year, which surveyed 2,022 people aged 50 to 69 nationwide, 41.2% of respondents said supporting Kangaroo tribe children is 'financially burdensome.' Among them, 19.1% said 'very burdensome,' and 22.1% said 'somewhat burdensome.' For unemployed parents, the 'very burdensome' rate was highest at 21.8%.

Experts analyze that the Kangaroo tribe phenomenon is related to the uncertainty faced by young people. Professor Kwak Geumju of Seoul National University's Department of Psychology said, "In Korea, it is harder to become financially independent from parents compared to other countries. Therefore, the Kangaroo tribe is relatively more common here." She pointed out, "However, due to the impact of COVID-19, the number of job seekers has increased, and more office workers are taking unpaid leave, which has intensified the Kangaroo tribe phenomenon."

She added, "Also, for job seekers, even exam schedules have changed due to COVID-19. This means uncertainty about the future has increased. Such uncertainty eventually leads to anxiety."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.