South Korea has kicked off a population and housing census for all people living in the country, Statistical Korea said Sunday.
The census, which will involve direct one-on-one interviews with residents, aims to collect vital data that can be used by the country to formulate social policies and better meet the public’s present and future needs, the statistical agency said.
The latest survey, which is the first in five years, will be carried out starting Sunday and run to Nov. 15.
Visits will be made to households that have not responded to the online census carried out from Oct. 24 to Saturday. The country first carried out a census in 1925.
It said Korean nationals, as well as foreign citizens living in the country, will be asked to answer various questions posed by the census officials that could take some 30 minutes from start to finish.
It said that people who want to respond to the Internet survey can still do so even if the official deadline has expired. This move can save time and effort and be more convenient for some, although census takers may visit a home if the data provided online is inadequate.
The agency then assured the public that under South Korean law all data collected cannot be divulged to any other outside source, so there won’t be any privacy issues. It said questioners have been instructed to clearly show their identification before entering a person’s home to ensure there are no safety concerns. (Yonhap)
