Low Marriage Rates

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The number of couples getting married hit a record low in South Korea last year. That’s because the proportion of Koreans in their 30s has fallen, while there’s been little improvement in economic conditions for younger people. In fact, marriage rates have plunged among those in their early 30s.

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The number of marriages stood at 264,000 last year, down six percent from a year ago. It is the smallest figure in 43 years. The number of marriages has been on a decline since 2000. It dropped from more than 400,000 in the 1990s to roughly 300,000 in the 2000s and some 200,000 recently. In particular, a plunge is noticeable among those in their early 30s from both genders. Men get married when they are 32.9 years old on average and women when they are 30.2 years old. They're getting married two years later, compared to ten years ago. It is due to tough economic conditions facing younger people, including the tight job market and the difficulty in purchasing their own houses. The falling number of marriages is also leading to a lower birthrate. In addition, the number of divorces has reached a 20-year-low. 106,000 divorces were reported last year. Among them, 31 percent were couples who got divorces after living together for over 20 years. 22 percent broke up less than five years after getting married.