SNU Sociology Professor Explains Why People Are Unhappy Even When They Become Wealthy

Professor Lee Jaeyeol of Seoul National University’s Department of Sociology shared his thoughts in a farewell lecture commemorating his retirement on why inequality, mistrust, and anxiety have grown in Korean society despite its greater prosperity. Speaking on the 12th at Seoul National University’s Central Library in Gwanakgu, Seoul, under the theme “Beyond the Divide, Toward Dignity,” Professor Lee diagnosed Korean society as a socalled “threeno society.” He explained that the IMF foreign exchange crisis, the Sewol ferry disaster, and the COVID19 pandemic were events that exposed the structural cracks in society. He pointed out that excessive competition for status has weakened trust and solidarity. He also emphasized that while the spread of AI could reduce inequality, if used incorrectly it could widen social gaps even further, making the direction of institutional reform and technological use important.