In South Korea, more young people consider marriage, childbirth as nonessential

More young people in South Korea are considering marriage and childbirth as "nonessential." Citing recent government data, a report by the news agency Yonhap on Friday (Dec 15) said that only 27 per cent of women in their 20s considered marriage as essential last year, marking a decline from nearly 53 per cent in 2008. The report said that around 42 per cent of men in the same age group found marriage necessary, whichis a drop of 30 per cent.

When it comes to South Koreans in their 30s, 31.8 per cent of women and 48.7 per cent of men were positive about getting married. Data showed that only 27.7 per cent of people in their 20s and 30s were positive about having no children after marriage in 2015, but thefigure increased to 44.1 per cent in 2020.

The report also said that young people remained negative about having children outside of marriage. Only 20 per cent expressed a positive perspective (for having children outside marriage) in 2020. In 2015, this figure was at 11.1 per cent.

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The data is yet another gloomy sign of South Korea's demographic crisis over the extremely low birth rate, Yonhap reported.

Lack of financial resources topped the reasons for young people not getting married, a report by The Korea Times on Friday said. Speaking to the publication, a man surnamed Kim in his 20s said he did not wish to get married.

“I don’t want to support a family, not now, not ever,” he said. “I don’t want anyone bothering me about how much money I make or constantly nagging me about how I am not good enough,” Kim said.

Meanwhile, a woman in her 30s told the publication she and her husband did not want children. "It is a huge responsibility for me and my husband physically, financially, and psychologically, more for me than him. I have a job and I don’t want to give up a few good years of my life raising children. I’m fine where I am," the woman said.

(With inputs from agencies)