Last Year, 222,000 Marriages... Record High Growth Rate of 14.8%

Marriage Increases Again in 2023 Following Previous Year
Rise in Early 30s Population Signals Positive Trends in Statistics
Positive Perceptions of Marriage and Policy Effects Also Contribute
Average Age at First Marriage for Men Drops by 0.1 to 33.9
Upward Trend in First Marriage Age for Women Continues at 31.6
Highest Crude Marriage Rates in Daejeon, Sejong, and Gyeonggi

Last year, the number of marriages surged by 14.8% to 222,000, marking the highest growth rate since related statistics began. This increase was influenced by a rise in marriages that had declined during the pandemic, as well as an increase in the population in their early 30s. As marriages in the early 30s increased, the average age of first marriage for men was the second lowest since 2020.

On the 17th, a couple preparing for their wedding participated in a wedding photo shoot event at Choansan Hydrangea Hill in Nowon-gu, Seoul. Choansan Hydrangea Hill, which opened at the end of April, was once a place difficult for residents to use due to garbage accumulation and illegal farming. After a year of construction aimed at providing a resting space for residents and addressing the green welfare imbalance in the area, it has been transformed into a healing spot. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

According to the '2024 Marriage and Divorce Statistics' released by Statistics Korea on the 20th, the number of marriages last year was 222,400, up 14.8% (28,800 cases) from the previous year. This is the highest growth rate since related statistics began in 1970. The increase in number was also the largest since 1996 (36,427 cases). The crude marriage rate, which is the number of marriages per 1,000 people, rose by 0.6 to 4.4.

The number of marriages, which had been declining since 2012, rebounded by 1.0% in 2023 and has shown an increasing trend for two consecutive years. Park Hyun-jung, head of the Population Trends Division at Statistics Korea, explained the sharp rise in marriages last year by saying, "The population in their early 30s has increased significantly, and there is a base effect as the number of marriages had decreased for several years due to COVID-19."

She added, "In the social survey by Statistics Korea, when asked about perceptions of marriage, positive responses to the necessity of marriage were about 50% in 2022 and 52.5% last year, which had an influence," and "There was also some impact from government and local government policies encouraging marriage."

Looking at the number of marriages by age group, both men and women in their early 30s showed the largest increase. For men in their early 30s, marriages increased by 17,000 cases (23.8%), and for women in their early 30s, by 16,000 cases (24.0%). The marriage rates by age group were also highest in the early 30s, with men recording 48.3 and women 51.9 per 1,000 people.

Regarding the average age at first marriage, men (33.9 years) decreased by 0.1 years, while women (31.6 years) increased by 0.1 years. Since the statistics began in 1990, the decrease in the average age of first marriage for men is the second time after 2020 (-0.14 years). In 2020, the decline was influenced by a reduction in international marriages among those who passed the marriageable age during COVID-19, whereas last year, there were many marriages among men in their early 30s.

By region, the crude marriage rate increased nationwide, with Daejeon (5.6), Sejong (4.8), and Gyeonggi (4.6) showing the highest rates. The lowest rates were recorded in Busan and Gyeongnam, both at 3.5. In Seoul, the average age at first marriage was the highest among all regions, at 34.3 years for men and 32.4 years for women.

Marriages with foreigners totaled 21,000, up 5.3% (1,000 cases). Marriages with foreign women were 16,000, and with foreign men 5,000, increasing by 6.2% and 2.6%, respectively. The most common nationalities of foreign wives were Vietnam, China, and Thailand, while for foreign husbands, it was the United States, China, and Vietnam. Divorces involving foreigners decreased by 1.4% (100 cases) to 6,000.

Last year, the number of divorces was 91,000, down 1.3% (1,000 cases) from the previous year. The number of divorces has been declining annually since turning negative in 2020 (-3.9%). The crude divorce rate (divorces per 1,000 people) and the divorce rate among married people (divorces per 1,000 married people) remained steady for the third consecutive year at 1.8 and 3.7, respectively.

The average duration of marriage before divorce was 17.2 years, an increase of 0.4 years. The distribution of divorces by duration of marriage was highest for 5?9 years (18.0%), followed by 4 years or less (16.7%), and 30 years or more (16.6%). The average age at divorce rose by 0.5 years for both men and women, reaching 50.4 years for men and 47.1 years for women.

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