Over 10,000 Children Born Out of Wedlock Like Jung Woo-sung and Moon Ga-bi... Still in Early Stages Compared to OECD

10,900 Extramarital Births Last Year... Increasing for 3 Consecutive Years
Lower Than OCED Average Extramarital Birth Rate
Youth Generation Positive About 'Non-Marital Childbirth'

Model Mungabi (left), actor Jung Woo-sung (right). Mungabi, Jung Woo-sung Instagram

Actor Jung Woo-sung has been embroiled in controversy over 'giving birth to a child out of wedlock,' bringing renewed attention to the fact that the number of children born outside of marriage has been increasing for three consecutive years.

According to the '2023 Birth Statistics' released by Statistics Korea last August, the number of children born out of wedlock last year was 10,900, marking an increase for the third consecutive year. This accounts for 4.7% of the total births (230,000). The number of children born out of wedlock in South Korea decreased from 9,300 in 2013 to 6,900 in 2020 but then rose to 7,700 in 2021 and 9,800 in 2022. However, this is still lower than the average out-of-wedlock birth rate of 41.5% among OECD member countries.

Since the related statistics began in 1981, the rate of births outside marriage remained between 0% and 2%, but it rapidly increased after 2018, reaching 3.9% in 2022 and surpassing 3%. Last year, it entered the 4% range for the first time. This is attributed to an increase in births within de facto relationships where couples live together without legally registering their marriage. Some couples have decided to have children out of wedlock due to the steep rise in housing prices. Because income criteria for loans such as Didimdol Loan and Bogeumjari Loan are disadvantageous for married couples, some have taken out loans without registering their marriage. Housing subscription benefits are also more favorable for singles than for married individuals, leading some to choose 'pseudo-singleness.'

Furthermore, there has been a clear shift in perception, with the younger generation showing a positive attitude toward 'non-marital childbirth.' According to the '2024 Social Survey' released by Statistics Korea, 42.8% of people aged 20 to 29 this year responded that 'it is possible to have children without getting married.' This is a 12.5% increase from 30.3% who had a positive view of non-marital childbirth ten years ago. Those opposed decreased from 34.9% in 2014 to 22.2% this year. By gender, 43.1% of men in their 20s and 42.4% of women in their 20s agreed with non-marital childbirth, showing little difference. The percentage who completely agreed was higher among women (15.9%) than men (12.6%).

Meanwhile, on the 24th, entertainment media Dispatch reported that model Moon Ga-bi’s recently born son is Jung Woo-sung’s biological child. In response, Jung Woo-sung’s side stated, "We are discussing the best way to raise the child and will do our best as a father."