Three out of every 10 Koreans feel they have become more unhappy since the global financial crisis in 2008. Not only those in the low-income bracket but even wealthy people with more than W2 billion (US$1=W1,110) in assets feel less happy, according to a survey by Hyundai Research Institute of 709 adults nationwide released Sunday.

Six out of 10 Koreans think economic factors have a big impact on their happiness.

Some 28.5 percent said they feel less happy since the global crisis, while only 15.4 percent said they feel happier. Some 56.1 percent reported no change.

The group with the biggest proportion who feel more unhappy are those who make less than W1 million (US$1=W1,110) a month with 50 percent, followed by the self-employed (44 percent), those who completed junior high school or less (40.9 percent) and people over 50 age (38.6 percent).

Among those with more than W2 billion in assets, 40 percent are less happy

The high proportion of unhappiness among the wealthy can be attributed to their dissatisfaction with falling real estate value since the financial crisis.

Single women in their 20s with university degrees who work for the government feel happiest.

But 40.5 percent of respondents said they are satisfied overall, while 50.9 replied they are somewhat satisfied and only 8.6 percent dissatisfied with their circumstances.

Asked what the top priorities of the next president should be to improve people's happiness, 38.4 percent cited stabilizing consumer prices, while 24.8 percent pointed to job growth.