This study endeavors to collect data on people’s perceptions of significant societal challenges and attitudes towards relevant issues and policy interventions via a comparative survey conducted in ten welfare states, including South Korea, with the aim of comparing the findings across countries. Although many domestic surveys have been carried out to assess people’s perceptions and attitudes towards their security systems, few studies have addressed the recent global environmental shifts impacting these systems or compared the views of South Koreans with those of people in other countries. Therefore, this study can provide important insights into the universal and unique aspects of citizens’ perceptions in the changing landscape of welfare states, emphasizing both the shared perceptions across borders and the particular views of the South Korean society.
The findings from the transnational survey indicate that South Koreans’ concerns about automation, globalization, immigration, war, and climate change generally align with regional and global trends but show distinct variations compared to other surveyed countries. First, concerning automation, South Korean worries are in line with the 10-country average, though there is a slightly higher rate of non-concern compared to the average. The US and Italy exhibit greater anxiety, while Finland and Norway are notably more optimistic. Next, South Koreans’ concerns about globalization are somewhat higher than the average, with Italy displaying the greatest level of concern and Denmark showing the most positive outlook. Regarding immigration, South Koreans are less worried than the average, with a significantly higher non-concern rate, whereas Germany, Italy, and Sweden report higher levels of concern. When it comes to war, South Koreans’ level of worry is slightly below the 10-country average, with Italy demonstrating the highest concern and Sweden the lowest. Lastly, in terms of climate change, South Korea stands out