Over the past 30 years, the number of marriages in Korea has decreased by nearly half, and the number of births has dropped to one-third of its previous level. As marriage and childbirth are delayed, the average age of first marriage has increased by about 6 years for both men and women.
According to the report titled 'Changes in Marriages and Births in Korea over the Past 30 Years,' published by the Statistics Korea on the 3rd, the number of marriages peaked at 398,500 in 1995 and 434,900 in 1996, before falling to a historic low of 191,700 in 2022. The number increased to 193,700 in 2023 and 222,400 in 2024, marking consecutive growth for two years; however, that level still represents a 44% decrease compared to 30 years ago.
During the same period, marriages with foreign partners increased. From 13,500 in 1995 to 20,800 in 2024, this represents a 54% increase, and the proportion of these marriages has expanded from 3.4% to 9.3%. One in ten marriages is now a multicultural marriage.
Marriages between Korean men and foreign women rose from 10,400 to 15,600, an increase of 51%, while marriages between Korean women and foreign men increased from 3,100 to 5,000, a rise of 64%.
The average age at first marriage has steadily increased. The average age of first marriage for men, which was 28.4 years and for women 25.3 years in 1995, rose to 33.9 years and 31.6 years, respectively, last year, amounting to an increase of 5.5 years for men and 6.3 years for women over 30 years.
The number of births has decreased from 715,000 in 1995 to a low of 230,000 in 2023, and while it rebounded slightly to 238,000 last year, it still represents a 66.7% decrease compared to 30 years ago. The total fertility rate fell from 1.63 children in 1995 to 0.75 in 2024, a reduction of more than half.
The age group of childbirth has also changed. Until the early 2000s, the prime age for childbirth was in the late 20s, but after 2010, women in their early 30s have accounted for the highest proportion. The average age of childbirth for women rose from 27.9 years in 1995 to 33.7 years last year, while for men it increased from 31.1 years to 36.1 years during the same period.
The proportion of first-born children has actually increased. First-born children, which made up 48.4% of all births in 1995, rose to 61.3% last year. The rapid decline in second and third children has led to a distinct trend of having 'only one child.'
In addition, the proportion of births outside of marriage has increased from 1.2% to 5.8%, and the ratio of multiple births, such as twins, has risen from 1.3% to 5.7%.