The proportion of 'unmarried youth' with marriage plans fell by more than 10 percentage points from 75% to 63% in two years. The willingness to give birth has also decreased, indicating that the perception of marriage and childbirth among youths has dramatically turned negative.
This contrasts with the fact that the marriage rate increased to the highest level ever last year, and the number of births rebounded for the first time in nine years. There are concerns that this was merely a temporary effect resulting from positive signs regarding marriage and childbirth that had been delayed due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), rather than a signal of a trend reversal.
◇ Unmarried youth with marriage plans drop by 10%P in two years
According to the '2024 Youth Life Survey Results' released on the 11th by the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the proportion of unmarried youth who responded that they have marriage plans is 63.1%, a decrease of 12.2 percentage points compared to the initial survey results two years ago (75.3%). This ratio has decreased among both men (79.8% to 67.8%) and women (69.7% to 57.5%).
The proportion of those intending to have children also fell from 63.3% to 59.3%, a decrease of 4 percentage points over the two years. Again, the willingness to give birth has weakened among both men (70.5% to 65.1%) and women (55.3% to 52.8%).
The Youth Life Survey is the government's official 'youth statistics.' The Office for Government Policy Coordination conducts in-person interviews with 15,000 households of youths aged 19 to 34, surveying over 200 questions across eight institutional sectors, such as general household status, housing, health, education and training, and labor. This survey result is the second one following 2022.
While there are limitations of sample surveys, these negative perceptions among unmarried youth are disappointing results for the government, which has been evaluating positively the recent turnaround in the atmosphere surrounding marriage and childbirth. Last year, the marriage increase rate recorded 14.9%, the highest since the statistics began in 1970, and the birth rate and total fertility rate rebounded for the first time in nine years.
Lee Cheol-hee, head of the Population Cluster at the National Strategy Institute of Seoul National University, noted that 'last year's results might be a so-called technical rebound due to the long-term decrease in marriage and the delay in marriage during the pandemic,' and added, 'This effect won’t last long.' He continued, 'Over the past two years, various indicators related to youth employment and the proportion of irregular workers have worsened significantly,' saying, 'Considering these circumstances, it is not surprising that the proportion of those who do not intend to marry or have children is increasing.'
◇ Depressed youth… Increased rates of depression, suicidal thoughts, and isolation
Meanwhile, according to this survey, the proportion of youths living independently last year was 45.6%. The types of housing occupancy were owner-occupied (including family-owned at 49.6%), jeonse (23.8%), and monthly rent (23.8%). In the survey two years ago, the order was owner-occupied (55.8%), jeonse (21.5%), and monthly rent (19%), showing a decrease in the proportion of owner-occupied housing while the proportions of jeonse and monthly rent remained the same.
The average housing price for these dwellings was 450 million won. The average deposit for jeonse was 230 million won, while the collateralized monthly rent had a deposit of 29 million won and a monthly rent of 410,000 won. Although housing prices have decreased compared to two years ago, the costs for jeonse and monthly rent have increased.
The average monthly living expenses for youth households were 2.13 million won. It was found that they spent 800,000 won on groceries, 220,000 won on transportation, and 180,000 won on entertainment and culture. The annual average income was 26.25 million won. The average liability was 16.37 million won, while the average assets were 50.12 million won.
Youth identified housing policy (45.7%) as the most necessary policy support. Following that were job policies (33.5%) and welfare and cultural policies (14.1%). Among housing policies, the need for home purchase loan assistance was the highest at 31.3%, which has decreased from two years ago (41%). The proportions of those needing assistance for jeonse loans and monthly rent support, as well as supply policies for public rental housing, have all increased to 25%, 20.7%, and 14.9%, respectively, compared to two years ago.
Youth have been reported to feel more depressed than they did two years ago. The prevalence of depressive symptoms increased from 6.1% to 8.8%, and the experience of seriously considering suicide rose from 2.4% to 2.9%. The proportion of isolated or reclusive youth (excluding those who are pregnant, have given birth, or have disabilities) also increased to 5.2%, up from 2.4% in the previous survey. In the past year, the proportion experiencing 'burnout' was 32.2%.