Last year, the number of marriages reached 222,000, a sharp increase of 14.8%, marking the highest growth rate since related statistics began. The rise was influenced by a rebound in marriages that had declined during the pandemic, as well as an increase in the population in their early 30s. With more people in their early 30s getting married, the average age of first marriage for men was the second lowest since 2020.

According to the "2024 Marriage and Divorce Statistics" released by Statistics Korea on the 20th, the number of marriages last year was 222,400, an increase of 14.8% (28,800 cases) compared to the previous year. This is the highest growth rate since related statistics began in 1970. The increase in the number of cases 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.

On the 17th, a couple preparing for marriage 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 resolving green welfare imbalances in the area, it was transformed into a healing spot. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

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The number of marriages, which had been declining since 2012, rebounded in 2023 (1.0%) and has now shown an upward trend for two consecutive years. Park Hyunjung, Director 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 conducted by Statistics Korea, about 50% of respondents in 2022 and 52.5% last year gave positive answers to the necessity of marriage, which had an impact. Policy efforts by the government and local governments to encourage marriage also played a part."

By age group, the number of marriages increased the most among both men and women in their early 30s. For men, there was an increase of 17,000 cases (23.8%) in the early 30s, and for women, an increase of 16,000 cases (24.0%) in the same age group. The marriage rate by age group was also highest in the early 30s, with 48.3 cases for men and 51.9 cases for women.

The average age at first marriage was 33.9 for men, down 0.1 years, and 31.6 for women, up 0.1 years. Since statistics began in 1990, this is the second time the average age at first marriage for men has decreased, the first being in 2020 (-0.14 years). In 2020, the drop was due to a decrease in international marriages among those who had passed the optimal marriage age during the pandemic, while last year saw an increase in marriages among men in their early 30s.

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By region, the crude marriage rate (number of marriages per 1,000 people) increased across the country, with Daejeon (5.6), Sejong (4.8), and Gyeonggi (4.6) recording the highest rates. The lowest rates were in Busan and Gyeongnam, both at 3.5. In Seoul, the average age at first marriage was the highest in the country for both men and women, at 34.3 and 32.4, respectively.

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

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The number of divorces last year was 91,000, a decrease of 1.3% (1,000 cases) compared to the previous year. Since the decrease in 2020 (-3.9%), the number of divorces has continued to decline each year. Last year, the crude divorce rate (number of divorces per 1,000 people) and the divorce rate among married people (number of divorces per 1,000 married people) remained at 1.8 and 3.7, respectively, for the third consecutive year.

The average duration of marriage at the time of divorce was 17.2 years, an increase of 0.4 years. By duration of marriage, the highest proportions of divorces were among couples married for 5-9 years (18.0%), 4 years or less (16.7%), and 30 years or more (16.6%). The average age at divorce was 50.4 for men and 47.1 for women, both up 0.5 years.