Marked Changes in Single-Person Households and Super-Aging
Rising Reliance on Private Education and Decline in Medical Personnel
The proportion of single-person households has reached an all-time high, and the elderly population is rapidly increasing, signaling a swift transformation in the structure of households and demographic trends in the country.
According to Yonhap News Agency, citing the "2024 Social Security Statistics Yearbook" published by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on November 30, the number of single-person households in South Korea reached 8,045,000 last year, accounting for 36.1% of all households. The Ministry of Health and Welfare compiles and publishes annual statistics on changes in overall social security, including family, income and employment, and social services, in accordance with the Framework Act on Social Security.
The statistics project that this trend will continue. The proportion of single-person households was 27.2% in 2015 and 31.7% in 2020, surpassing 30% and continuing to rise steadily. If this trend persists, the number of single-person households is estimated to reach 8,550,000 in 2027, 9,710,000 in 2037, and 9,940,000 in 2042.
In addition, the demographic structure has entered a rapid phase of aging. Last year, the number of people aged 65 and over exceeded 10 million for the first time, and their share of the total population also surpassed the super-aged society threshold for the first time at 20.1%.
On the other hand, due to the decline in the youth and child population, the number of daycare centers nationwide dropped from 43,770 in 2013 to 28,954 in 2023, and further to 27,387 last year, a decrease of nearly 40% over the past decade. However, the proportion of public daycare centers has increased rapidly, reaching 23.8% as of last year.
In the field of education, reliance on private education has increased further. Last year, the participation rate in private education reached 80% for the first time, and the average monthly private education expenditure per student was 474,000 won. High school students spent the most at an average of 520,000 won, followed by middle school students at 490,000 won and elementary school students at 440,000 won.
In terms of healthcare indicators, while medical accessibility remains high, concerns have been raised about a potential shortage of medical personnel. As of last year, the number of doctors stood at 109,274, a 4.7% decrease from the previous year. However, the average number of annual doctor visits per person was 18, about 2.7 times higher than the OECD average of 6.7.
Meanwhile, last year, government spending on social welfare and health amounted to 237.6 trillion won, accounting for 36.2% of total expenditures.
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