6 Out of 10 Unmarried Men and Women "Considering Marriage"... Childbirth Intention Surpasses 40% for the First Time

PCASPP Survey Reveals Shifting Attitudes

Childbirth Intention Rises from 29.5% to 40.7% in Two Years

A recent survey has found that more than 6 out of 10 unmarried men and women in South Korea have a positive view of marriage.

On May 7, the Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy (PCASPP) released the results of the "5th Survey on Perceptions of Marriage, Childbirth, Childrearing, and Government Low Birth Rate Policies." This survey, which was first conducted nationwide in March 2024 among citizens aged 25 to 49, is repeated twice a year with the same questions. The fifth round of the survey was conducted in March with a sample of 2,800 people.

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The survey revealed that 65.7% of unmarried men and women have a positive perception of marriage. This figure marks an increase of 9.8 percentage points compared to the first survey two years ago, which stood at 55.9%. Since the third survey, when the rate of positive responses among unmarried men and women first exceeded 60%, the upward trend has continued.

The intention to have children among unmarried men and women, which was below 30% in 2024, has also risen sharply in two years, now exceeding 40%. Specifically, 62.6% of unmarried men and women recognized the necessity of having children, while 40.7% expressed an intention to have children. This is the first time since the survey began that the intention to have children among unmarried men and women has surpassed 40%.

Among all respondents, 71.6% recognized the necessity of having children, a rise of 10.5 percentage points compared to the first survey. In terms of "intention to have children," the proportion of childless households increased by 9.2 percentage points, from 32.6% to 41.8%.

The PCASPP highlighted that the positive responses regarding the "necessity of children" and "intention to have children" among unmarried men and women have increased significantly. Compared to the first survey, the perception of the necessity of children rose by 12.6 percentage points (from 50.0% to 62.6%), and the intention to have children increased by 11.2 percentage points (from 29.5% to 40.7%).

The most frequently cited important task for addressing the low birth rate was "expanding the creation of quality jobs" (83.9%). Regarding policies to support work-family balance, the top demand was "promoting the use of flexible work arrangements during parental leave for both mothers and fathers" (60.6%). Notably, the response rate was higher among women (68.6%) than men (53.1%), indicating a greater demand from women. In the area of marriage, childbirth, and childrearing, the most requested policy was "expanding tax benefits for households with marriage and childbirth" (51.3%), while in the housing sector, the top demand was "further easing income criteria for home purchase and Jeonse loan eligibility" (45.3%).

The PCASPP assessed the positive change in perceptions of marriage and childbirth reflected in this survey as a promising sign for a rebound in the nation's birth rate. Kim Jin-oh, Vice Chairperson of the PCASPP, stated, "The increase in positive perceptions of marriage and childbirth among the younger generation is a meaningful advancement," adding, "We plan to introduce policy and institutional measures to create a childbirth- and childrearing-friendly culture that meets the needs of the public."

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