Changes in Volunteering Landscape in South Korea During COVID-19: Trajectories of Volume and Engagement Patterns

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the global volunteer sector, yet its long-term impacts remain insufficiently explored. This study uses 4.7 million records from the 1365 Volunteer Portal (2019–2022) to examine formal volunteering trends in South Korea, integrating resilience theory and threat-rigidity effects. First, volunteering volume declined sharply after major outbreaks, but recovery aligned with vaccination and policy shifts, demonstrating external influences. Second, youth participation dropped significantly following the suspension of mandatory student volunteering, while women’s participation declined in restricted activity areas. However, emergency relief services expanded, reflecting adaptive sectoral responses. Third, time-series clustering identified four participation patterns, showing that most volunteers disengaged while a small group remained active. These findings illustrate how external factors and institutional frameworks shaped volunteering trajectories during the pandemic, offering insights into the sector’s response to crises.