Korea’s marriage rate is falling while the international marriage rate is rising

Amid changing social norms, more and more Koreans are getting married at an older age.

However, the number of international marriages is increasing after the end of the pandemic.

The number of marriages in Korea fell to an all-time high in 2022, government data revealed on March 16.

According to a report shared by Statistics Korea, the number of Koreans getting married hit a record high of 192,000 last year, down 0.4 percent from a year earlier.

It’s the lowest rate since 1970, when the state statistics agency began compiling the data, and it’s the 11th straight year the number has fallen.

“Marriage rates have declined in part due to the steady decline in the population aged 25 to 49”said Lim Young-il, head of the census department at Statistics Korea. “Another reason arises from the evolution of the perception of marriage. »

On the other hand, the number of international marriages hit a three-year high in 2022, with a year-on-year growth rate of 27.2%, as travel restrictions on international arrivals in Korea were eased at the end of the year following strict COVID-19 measures.

According to Statistics Korea, the number of marriages between Koreans and foreigners last year was 16,700, up from 23,600 in 2019. In 2020, the number stood at 15,300, then in 2021 it fell further to 13,100.

« Restricted entry for foreigners led to a drop in international marriages when the pandemic peaked in 2020 and 2021, but appears to have recovered as restrictions eased.” said Statistics Korea.

International marriages accounted for 8.7% of the total number of marriages in the country in 2022. The ratio is at its highest since 2019, when it was 9.9%, before falling to 7.2% in 2020 and 6.8% in 2021 due to the pandemic.

Authorities expect these trends to increase in the coming years and the government is looking for solutions to halt the population decline.