This is encouraging for a country that continues to face one of the lowest birth rates in the world.
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The number of marriages in South Korea grew again in 2025, driven by a change in social attitudes toward marriage, according to official data released by the government.
The trend marks a turning point after more than a decade of sustained decline and reflects a new scenario in which more and more young people consider that marriage is still necessary.
According to published figures, 240,000 marriages were registered during 2025, representing an increase of 8.1% compared to the previous year and the third consecutive increase.
This uptick comes after years of decline that lasted until 2022, and the authorities link it both to demographic factors such as the cancellation of weddings during the pandemic and to a wider cultural change.
A Korean wedding.
“Social surveys show that not only are attitudes toward marriage becoming more positive among the general population, but statistics also indicate a significant increase in the belief that 'one should marry' among single men and women,” Park Hyung-jeong, director of the Ministry of Data and Statistics, explained
during a press conference.
The growth of marriages occurs in a complex context for the country, which continues to face one of the lowest birth rates in the world. Authorities warn that, while there are signs of short-term recovery, structural challenges persist, such as high housing costs and difficulties associated with child care, factors that continue to influence family decisions
.
In parallel, the figures show a decline in divorces. During 2025, 88,000 separations were registered, 3.3% less than the previous year, consolidating a downward trend. The divorce rate was 1.7 per 1,000 inhabitants
.
However, the data also show that breakups are more frequent among older couples. Those marriages of 30 years or older accounted for 17.7% of divorces, a phenomenon that highlights the persistence of so-called “divorce in the
elderly”. Couples.
As for cross-border marriages, the numbers show mixed behaviors. Unions with foreign spouses fell slightly to 21,000 cases, while divorces in this type of couple increased by 4.2%, reaching 6,000. This, according to the data, reflects an increasing complexity in multicultural homes
.
The distribution by nationality remained stable: Vietnamese women topped the list of foreign brides with 30.5%, followed by Chinese (16.1%) and Thai (12.5%). Meanwhile, foreign brides came mainly from the United States (28.2%), China (16.6%) and Vietnam (14.8%)
.
Another important fact is that South Koreans continue to postpone marriage. The average age for marrying for the first time was 33.9 years for men and 31.6 for women, although the gap between the two narrowed
slightly.
The government pointed out that part of the uptick responds to normalization following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlighted that the levels of 2025 already exceed previous records.
However, they warned that this momentum may not be sustained over time, especially because of demographic changes that could reduce the population of marriageable age in the coming years.
