China News Service, February 25. According to Korean media reports, the Statistics Korea said on the 23rd that in 2021, the number of marriages in South Korea will be 192,509, the first time it falls below 200,000, a year-on-year decrease of 20,993 (10%).
This value has been reduced by half since the initial count in 1983 (410,000 pairs).
Although there are cases of delays in marriage due to the impact of the new crown epidemic, factors such as the increase in the number of singles are the basic reasons for the decrease in the number of marriages.
Even when married, childbearing is delayed, the report said.
If the first child is born late, it becomes difficult to consider having a second child, further increasing concerns about population decline.
In 2021, the average age of Korean women giving birth to their first child is 33.4 years old. When their children go to elementary school, most mothers are not confused.
Two years ago, based on 2019, the survey results of the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) showed that the average age of childbearing for Korean women was 28.3 years old.
The report pointed out that the time interval between marriage and childbirth in South Korea is lengthening.
Among the births in 2021, couples who have been married for more than 5 years will have 69,000 children, a year-on-year increase of 1,000 (1.8%).
In contrast, couples married within 2 years had 10,000 fewer children (-10.7%) year-on-year, and couples married between 2 and 5 years had 4,000 fewer children (-4.1%).
In this trend, the fertility rate of women over the age of 35 is increasing.