Average Age at First Marriage Rises in Gwangju and Jeonnam, Number of Newborns Halved

Average Age at First Marriage for Women in Gwangju Rises to 31.5
Both Men and Women in Jeonnam Now Marry After 30
Number of Newborns Nearly Halved in 10 Years
Perceptions of Divorce Easing, More Support for Equal Household Chores

Marriage and childbirth indicators in Gwangju and Jeonnam are undergoing significant changes. The average age at first marriage for women has surpassed the 30s, while the number of newborns has dropped to half of what it was a decade ago. The region is experiencing rapid changes in gender and generational life structures, driven by a decline in marriages and divorces, shifting perceptions of household labor division, and deepening population aging.

On the 17th, a couple preparing for their wedding participated in a wedding photo shoot event at Choansan Hydrangea Hill in Nowon-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

According to the "Men and Women in Honam Region Seen Through Statistics" released by the Honam Regional Statistics Office on July 25, 2024, the average age at first marriage in Gwangju in 2024 was 33.8 for men and 31.5 for women, up from 32.5 and 29.9 respectively ten years ago. In Jeonnam, the average age at first marriage increased by more than one year for both genders during the same period, reaching 33.5 for men and 30.8 for women.

Last year, there were 5,688 marriages in Gwangju and 7,049 in Jeonnam. Compared to ten years ago, this represents a decrease of 2,525 marriages in Gwangju and 2,308 in Jeonnam. The number of divorces also declined during the same period: Gwangju recorded 2,258 divorces, down by 793, and Jeonnam recorded 3,473 divorces, down by 662.

Social perceptions of divorce have also changed significantly. In Gwangju, the percentage of men who believed "divorce should not be allowed" dropped from 52.0% in 2014 to 35.0% in 2024, while the percentage among women fell from 43.6% to 24.7%. In Jeonnam, the percentage for men decreased from 55.8% to 30.3%, and for women from 53.2% to 27.5%.

Regarding the division of household chores, 68.2% of men in Gwangju and 68.0% in Jeonnam responded that chores should be divided equally. Among women, the figures were 75.1% in Gwangju and 77.3% in Jeonnam. For job-related stress, a higher percentage of women (68.8%) than men (64.8%) reported experiencing stress in Gwangju, while in Jeonnam, more men (61.6%) than women (56.2%) reported feeling stressed.

Childbirth indicators have deteriorated sharply. In 2023, the number of newborns in Gwangju was 6,172, a decrease of 51.5% compared to 2013. In Jeonnam, the number was 7,828, down by 49.2%. During the same period, the total fertility rate in Gwangju was 0.71, a decline of 0.46 compared to ten years ago, while in Jeonnam it fell by 0.55 to 0.97.

The proportion of women among the elderly population and single-person households was also high. As of 2023, women accounted for 57.3% of the population aged 65 and over in Jeonnam and 56.6% in Gwangju. Among single-person households, women made up 51.9% in Jeonnam and 50.3% in Gwangju. As of 2024, the largest number of employed people in Gwangju were in their 50s, while in Jeonnam it was those aged 60 and over. In both regions, the 40-59 age group accounted for the largest share of the total population.

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