Last Year’s Lowest Marriage Rate Ever... International Marriages Increase
Korean Men’s First and Remarriages Both Dominated by Southeast Asia
As international marriages involving Koreans show an increasing trend, the rise in couples of 'Korean men and Cambodian women' and 'Korean women and Australian men' was particularly notable last year.
According to Statistics Korea on the 19th, the total number of marriages in the country last year was 191,700, down 800 from the previous year, marking the lowest ever recorded. However, the number of marriages with foreigners increased by 3,600 to 16,700 during the same period.
Following the spread of COVID-19, international movement decreased, leading to a decline in marriages with foreigners to 15,300 in 2020 and 13,100 in 2021 compared to the previous years. However, as the COVID-19 pandemic somewhat subsided in 2022, the trend reversed to an increase.
Looking at the growth rate by nationality of foreign women married to Korean men last year, Cambodia showed the highest increase at 208% (a total of 422 cases) compared to the previous year. This was followed by Vietnam at 151.6% (3,319 cases), the Philippines at 95.8% (509 cases), the United States at 31.3% (600 cases), and Thailand at 21.6% (1,932 cases). In contrast, marriages with women from Japan (-17.2%, 599 cases), Russia (-17.1%, 295 cases), and China (-5.9%, 2,282 cases) decreased.
The increase rate for first marriages was also high for Cambodia at 240.4% (303 cases), Vietnam at 182% (2,250 cases), and the Philippines at 105.5% (339 cases). For remarriages, Cambodia (147.9%, 119 cases), Laos (141.2%, 41 cases), and Vietnam (105.2%, 1,069 cases) showed high growth rates.
Regarding foreign men married to Korean women last year, the number of marriages increased for all major countries except China. The top countries by growth rate were Australia (96.1%, 151 cases), the United Kingdom (48.2%, 166 cases), Canada (39%, 310 cases), and the United States (8.2%, 1,380 cases), mainly Western men.
Among Asian countries, marriages with Vietnamese men increased by 33.2% (586 cases), while those with Chinese men decreased by 3.5% (750 cases).
A Statistics Korea official analyzed, "As COVID-19 stabilized to some extent in 2022, entry and exit restrictions were eased. The number of entrants increased, and along with it, marriages with foreigners also rose."
The number of divorces involving Koreans married to foreigners last year was 93,200, down 8,400 from the previous year. For Korean men, divorces increased with women from Thailand (12.7%, 311 cases), Japan (12.6%, 161 cases), and the United States (7.8%, 139 cases). For Korean women, divorces with men from Australia (57.1%, 33 cases) and Vietnam (21.9%, 178 cases) increased.
Number of marriages last year 191,700... lowest since statistics began in 1970
Meanwhile, the number of marriages last year decreased compared to the previous year, marking the lowest ever. According to the '2022 Marriage and Divorce Statistics' released by Statistics Korea on the 16th, based on marriage and divorce registrations reported to city and district offices nationwide, the number of marriages last year was 191,700, down 0.4% (800 cases) from 192,500 in 2021. This is the lowest figure since related statistics began in 1970.
The number of marriages has been declining for 11 consecutive years since 2012. Since 2019, the record for the lowest number has been broken for four consecutive years.
In 1996, the number of marriages reached 435,000, in the 400,000 range. It dropped to the 300,000 range in 1997 (389,000), to the 200,000 range in 2016 (282,000), and fell to the 100,000 range in 2021. Compared to 1997, it has been halved.
The crude marriage rate, which is the number of marriages per 1,000 people, was 3.7, down 0.1 from the previous year. This is also the lowest ever recorded since related statistics began.
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