Marriage Intentions Rise Despite Declining Birth Rates in South Korea

A recent survey conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs revealed that while the number of births in South Korea has decreased over the past three years, the percentage of unmarried individuals expressing a desire to marry has increased. The study, which included responses from 10,372 adults aged 19 to 49, found that the average number of children women expect to have has dropped to 0.85, down from 1.03 three years ago.

Among women aged 19 to 49 who have experienced marriage, including common-law relationships, the average planned number of children was 1.75, a decline from 1.93 in 2021. When the data was segmented by marital status, only 18.0% of those with spouses reported having plans for children, with an average of 1.25 children. In contrast, 63.2% of those without spouses indicated they intended to have children, with an average planned number of 1.54.

The survey also noted an increase in the percentage of individuals open to marriage, rising to 62.2% last year from 50.8% in 2021. The proportion of those undecided about marriage decreased from 23.9% in 2021 to 19.4% last year, while those who stated they had no intention of marrying fell from 11.9% to 6.7%.

Researchers suggested that further analysis is needed to determine whether this increase in marriage intentions is a rebound from the lows experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic or a new upward trend. Among those who do not wish to marry, 58.4% cited satisfaction with their current lives as the primary reason, followed by financial constraints (11.4%) and the inability to find a suitable partner (10.2%).

Responses varied by gender, with 63.4% of women indicating satisfaction with their lives as a reason for not wanting to marry, compared to 53.9% of men. Conversely, 17.0% of men cited financial issues as a reason, significantly higher than the 6.1% of women who did.

The survey also explored the values that individuals prioritize when considering marriage. Unmarried respondents placed greater emphasis on economic stability compared to love, which was more important to married individuals. For married respondents, the key values at the time of their marriage were love (81.9%), companionship (81.8%), economic stability (53.2%), and meeting family and societal expectations (45.1%). In contrast, unmarried individuals considering marriage prioritized companionship (82.4%), love (78.5%), economic stability (69.8%), and societal expectations (44.2%).

The researchers concluded that while the differences are slight, the increased importance placed on companionship and economic stability suggests that future marriages may be more rational and selective than in the past.