The number of marriages in South Korea increased for the first time in over a decade, reaching around 194,000 couples in 2022. The rise in marriages was attributed to couples who postponed their weddings during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Statistics Korea, the average age of men getting married for the first time hit an all-time high of 34, while the average age of brides rose to 31.5. Additionally, the number of South Koreans marrying foreign spouses increased by 18.3% to 20,000, accounting for 1 in 10 marriages.
Despite the increase in marriages, the number of couples getting divorced decreased by 0.9% to 92,000. However, the number of international couples getting divorced rose by 5.1% to 6,000 cases. The decline in marriages and ultra-low childbirth rates in South Korea have experts concerned about the country’s future birth rates.
South Korea’s total fertility rate dropped to a record quarterly low of 0.65 in the fourth quarter of 2023, with the number of babies born in the country decreasing by 7.7% to 229,970 in 2022. The falling number of marriages is believed to have a significant impact on birthrates in the country, as the majority of births occur within five years of marriage.
