The number of believers in Korean churches was 5,970,675, an increase of 20,813 compared to 2022. The proportion of believers among the total population of Korea (52,673,955 people) is 11.3%. The number of believers has increased slightly (0.3%), but the ratio of believers to population has remained stagnant for three years.
‘Korean Catholic Church Statistics 2023’ announced… Sunday Mass attendance and sacramental activity 60-80% of pre-COVID-19 levels. 25% of believers who left during the pandemic still do not attend Sunday Mass.
The low birth rate and aging phenomenon in Korean society is becoming more evident in the church. In 2023, the number of believers aged 0 to 4 was 24,860, a 50.2% decrease from 2019 (49,949 people) just before COVID-19. On the other hand, the number of believers aged 65 to 69 was 523,305, a 40.8% increase from 371,792 in 2019.
The proportion of believers over 65 is 26.1%, which is 6 percentage points higher than Korea’s rate of 18.2% over the age of 65. According to United Nations standards, a society is considered a super-aged society if more than 20% of the population is over 65 years old. The church is experiencing a super-aging society before our national society.
In an analysis report, the Korean Catholic Pastoral Research Institute said: “It is time for an overall and comprehensive renewal of the entire process, from catechesis on the importance of infant baptism, infant and toddler education, Sunday school, and youth and youth ministry.
The number of people attending Sunday Mass was 805,361, and the Sunday Mass attendance rate compared to all believers was 13.5%. This is a 7.7% point decrease from 2013 (21.2%), 10 years ago. Due to the impact of COVID-19, the proportion of Sunday Mass attendees, which reached a low of 10.3% in 2020, is gradually increasing.
The numbers receiving the sacraments, such as Confirmation, Confession of the Sick, and Holy Communion, is gradually increasing after the pandemic. Compared to the previous year, the Sacrament of Confirmation increased by 7.1%, the Anointing of the Sick by 22.5%, the Sacrament of Penance by 12.6%, and the Communion by 6.4%.
The proportion of parish priests over 65 years old is 17.5%... The number of elderly priests, including senior pastors, continues to increase.
75 new priests, the lowest number since 2013... The number of seminarians is also decreasing
The number of Korean church clergy (excluding deacons) was 5,721, an increase of 18 from the previous year. Of these, 4,715 are parish priests. The aging of priests has also been a prominent feature for several years. Looking at the distribution of parish priests by age, those aged 65 or older accounted for the highest proportion at 17.5% of the total. Excluding priests over 65, those between the ages of 50 and 54 accounted for the most at 13.9%, followed by those between the ages of 40 and 44 at 13.8%, and those between the ages of 45 and 49 at 13.6%. The number of senior pastors in the diocese has also continued to increase over the past 10 years, reaching well over 500 in 2023 with 536 (11.4% of all priests), an increase of 46 from the previous year.
While the number of elderly priests and senior pastors has increased, the number of new priests and seminarians continues to decrease. The number of new priests in the dioceses was 75, the lowest number since 2013. The decline continues after falling below 100 in 2020. The number of seminarians totaled 1,018, including 790 from parishes and 228 from religious orders, a 37.5% decrease from 2013 (1,264). The number of seminarians admitted to dioceses and religious orders, which remained at more than 130 until 2021, was 96 in 2023, following the previous year (88) and did not exceed 100 this year. The number of seminarians entering the diocese was 81, a 43.4% decrease from 2013 (143).
The Korean Catholic Pastoral Research Institute said, “When looking at the number of new priests and the ratio of elderly priests comprehensively, it is expected that the Korean Church will face a priest shortage within a few years as the current middle-aged priests retire from front-line ministry, so more mid- to long-term measures are needed to address this.”
As of 2023, 11,473 people are living a religious life in 175 religious orders in the Korean Church. The number of male religious was 1,568, a decrease of 34 from the previous year, and the number of female religious was 9,905, a decrease of 69. Compared to 2013, male religious decreased by 65.3% and female religious decreased by 53.8%. Among the female religious novices in the dioceses, only three were Korean, while the number of foreigners was 86. Considering that there were 100 Koreans and 33 foreigners in 2013, the ratio of foreign trainees has increased noticeably over the past 10 years.
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