COVID-19 Marriage Cliff Shock... 214,000 Marriages 'All-Time Low'

A Historic 10.7% Decrease Compared to Last Year... Marriages with Foreigners Also Plunge 31.1%
Divorce Cases Drop 3.9% to 107,000

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of marriages last year decreased by the largest margin ever recorded (10.7%) compared to the previous year, reaching the lowest level in history at around 213,500 cases. On the other hand, divorces slightly decreased as the processing procedures were prolonged due to reasons such as court recess recommendations.

According to the '2020 Marriage and Divorce Statistics' released by Statistics Korea on the 18th, the number of marriages last year recorded 213,500, a decrease of 26,000 cases (-10.7%) compared to the previous year. This is the lowest figure since related statistics began in 1970, and the rate of change (-10.7%) is also the largest decrease since 1971 when such data became available. The crude marriage rate, which indicates the number of marriages per 1,000 people, was 4.2, down 0.5 from the previous year, also the lowest since the survey began in 1970.

Kim Sooyoung, Director of Population Trends at the Social Statistics Bureau, explained, "The reasons for postponing marriage are increasing due to factors such as the decrease in the population in their 30s, changes in values regarding marriage, rising housing costs and other expenses, and changes in economic conditions. In the case of last year, many marriages were postponed or canceled due to the impact of COVID-19, and the sharp decline in foreign arrivals also affected the decrease in marriages with foreigners."

In fact, marriages with foreigners dropped sharply to 15,000 cases, a decrease of 8,000 cases (-35.1%) compared to the previous year. Divorces involving foreigners were 6,000 cases, down 1,000 cases (-10.5%) from the previous year.

Total divorces were 107,000 cases, a decrease of 4,000 cases (-3.9%) compared to the previous year. The crude divorce rate was 2.1, an increase of 0.1 from the previous year. Regarding this, Director Kim explained, "Not only has marriage decreased for nine consecutive years since 2019, but the divorce application and processing procedures have been prolonged due to court recess recommendations and other reasons caused by COVID-19." Among divorces, those who had been married for over 20 years accounted for the largest share at 37.2%, followed by divorces within 4 years at 19.8%. By age, the divorce rate was highest among men in their late 40s (8.0) and women in their early 40s (8.6).

The average age at first marriage was 33.2 years for men and 30.8 years for women, with men decreasing by 0.1 years and women increasing by 0.2 years compared to the previous year. Regarding the trend of the age increase only among men, Director Kim explained, "The average age at first marriage for men decreased for the first time since the 1990s. Last year, marriages among men in their late 30s and 40s decreased, and the reduction in international marriages due to COVID-19 significantly affected the decline in marriages with older men."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.