One in Three South Koreans Support Unmarried Childbirth

A recent survey has revealed that approximately 30% of South Koreans are in favor of unmarried childbirth. Conducted by the data consulting firm PMAI, the survey included 3,000 participants aged 18 and older across the nation in May 2024. Among the respondents, 30.3% expressed support for having children without being married.

The highest support for unmarried childbirth came from individuals in their 20s and 30s, with about 35% in favor. In contrast, only 20.8% of respondents aged 60 and above supported the idea.

When asked about the most anticipated aspects of marriage, 84.7% of respondents highlighted 'psychological and emotional stability' as their top priority. This was followed by 'economic stability' at 78.5%, 'intimate sexual relationships' at 73.9%, and 'the expectation of having children' at 64.4%.

More than half of the participants, specifically 57.1%, viewed cohabitation positively, with particularly high approval rates among those in their 20s (74.2%) and 30s (67.3%). Conversely, only 35.7% of those aged 60 and above had a favorable view of cohabitation, indicating a generational divide in attitudes towards both unmarried childbirth and cohabitation.

Regarding marriage registration, 38.4% of respondents were supportive of not registering their marriage, while 61.6% considered it an essential step in the marriage process.

Professor Lee Yoon-seok from the Urban Sociology Department at the University of Seoul noted that South Koreans still largely view marriage as a prerequisite for childbirth. He pointed out that in countries like the United States and those in Europe, childbirth and marriage are often seen as independent events. He suggested that South Korea is likely to follow this trend as societal values shift towards prioritizing individual preferences and choices.

Professor Lee also emphasized the need for a change in perception regarding children born to unmarried parents. He advocated for improving the negative views surrounding unmarried childbirth and called for policy support to ensure that children from these families can grow up healthily.

The discussion around unmarried childbirth has gained momentum recently, particularly following the news that actor Jung Woo-sung (정우성) and model Moon Ga-bi (문가비) welcomed a son in March 2024 without being married.

According to the birth statistics released by the Korean Statistical Office in August, the number of births outside of marriage reached 10,900 last year, marking the first time this figure surpassed 10,000. This represents the highest percentage since the statistics began in 1981, accounting for 4.7% of the total 230,000 births. Essentially, one in every 20 babies born last year was from an unmarried parent.

The trend of unmarried births has been on the rise since 2021, reflecting societal changes such as couples choosing to live together without formal marriage due to reasons like housing affordability.