Excessive commuting time not only affects people's work efficiency and quality of life, but also increases social problems such as traffic accidents, air pollution, and psychological stress.
So, which country in the world has the longest commute?You may think of countries with large populations and crowded cities like India, China, the United States, etc., but in fact, the answer is South Korea.
According to the latest survey results from Statistics Korea, the average commuter in the metropolitan area of South Korea spends about 1 hour and 20 minutes commuting every day, and the average commuting distance is 204 km.
This means that South Koreans spend nearly three hours a day on the road, which is equivalent to one-eighth of a day. And, that's just average, with some people even commuting for more than 2 hours.
There are several main reasons why the commute time in South Korea is so long:
The population of the Tokyo metropolitan area is too concentrated. South Korea's capital area, including Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, accounts for nearly half of the country's total population, and most of the best institutions, enterprises, schools, etc. are concentrated in the capital area, resulting in an uneven distribution of population and resources.
Inadequate transport infrastructure. Although South Korea has a well-developed public transportation system, including subways, buses, high-speed rail, etc., due to the overpopulation, the means of transportation are often overcrowded, and it is difficult to meet people's travel needs. In addition, South Korea's road network is also inadequate, especially in the suburbs, where roads are narrow and congested, which affects the speed of vehicles.
The impact of work culture. South Korea's work culture is characterized by hard work, loyalty, and competition, and Koreans often sacrifice their rest and recreation time for work, even at the expense of working overtime and staying up late. Such a work culture not only increases people's work pressure, but also leads to a tight pace of life and difficulty in maintaining good work and rest habits.
Excessive commuting time in South Korea has become a serious social problem, which not only affects people's physical and mental health, but also reduces people's happiness.