Surge in Unmarried Individuals Over 40 in South Korea
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Seoul, Dec 19 (NationPress) A recent government report highlights that the percentage of unmarried men in their 40s in South Korea surged by 6.7 times, while the figure for unmarried women rose by 5.7 times in 2020 compared to the year 2000. This trend points to a significant shift in societal norms regarding marriage, which is linked to South Korea's persistently low birth rate, as reported by the Yonhap news agency.
The annual social report from Statistics Korea attributes this growing trend to an increase in both delayed marriages and a rise in the number of individuals choosing to remain lifelong singles.
Data from the report indicates that in 2020, 23.6 percent of men and 11.9 percent of women in their 40s were unmarried, a stark contrast to the 3.5 percent of men and 2.1 percent of women recorded in 2000.
Furthermore, the report reveals that a minimal number of unmarried individuals aged 19-34 view marriage as a necessity.
A growing segment of this demographic has shown openness to alternative relationship structures, such as cohabitation or raising children outside of marriage.
An official from the agency noted, "Unmarried individuals across all age demographics tend to hold more gender-equal views regarding household duties." The report also highlighted that while attitudes toward non-traditional family formats are similar among both married and unmarried individuals in their 20s and 30s, there is a notably more favorable perspective among those in their 40s who are unmarried.
The report further analyzed that unmarried men in the 19-34 age group are more likely than their female counterparts to express a desire to marry. Additionally, individuals with better economic and health circumstances show a greater propensity to consider marriage.
It was estimated that there were 153,044 young caregivers, making up 1.3 percent of the population in that age bracket in 2020. These caregivers are mainly responsible for providing care within their households.
However, the report also disclosed that 22.1 percent of these young caregivers reported dissatisfaction with their lives, particularly those who spent over 15 hours a week on caregiving tasks, indicating significantly lower levels of life satisfaction.
An official commented, "Many young caregivers find it challenging to make future plans due to their caregiving duties," identifying this burden as a contributing factor to the trend of delayed marriages among young people.
