February 2, 2026
SEOUL – Unmarried South Koreans are increasingly expressing an intention to get married, suggesting a gradual shift in how younger generations view marriage and family formation, a survey showed Sunday.
The change appears to be driven by evolving perceptions. Marriage is now more widely seen as a result of personal affection rather than social obligation, while concerns that marriage limit individual freedom have eased, the report said.
According to a survey conducted by the Korea Population Health and Welfare Association, the share of unmarried respondents who said they intend to marry rose among both men and women in 2025.
Among men, 60.8 percent responded positively, up 2.3 percentage points from a year earlier. The share of women who gave a positive response rose 3 percentage points to 47.6 percent, extending the upward trend from the previous year, the report said.
The survey was conducted nationwide among 1,021 unmarried Korean nationals aged 20 to 44.
The rise in marriage intentions coincides with an uptick in actual marriages.
Korea’s crude marriage rate per 1,000 people declined steadily from 6 in 2014 to 3.7 in 2022, but edged up to 3.8 in 2023 and 4.4 in 2024, according to government data.
Despite the rise of marriage, the crude divorce rate remained below 2 per 1,000 people.
The association said the trend reflects a growing desire among younger adults to form strong bonds through legally recognized partnerships.
In a separate survey of 2,050 people, with roughly equal numbers of married and unmarried men and women, 86.1 percent of respondents said marriage is necessary to build a family based on close emotional ties.
The report also noted a reduced psychological burden associated with marriage, as traditional expectations have weakened. Only 24 percent of respondents viewed marriage as an outdated institution, while the perceived links between marriage and childbearing, as well as expectations of maintaining a marriage at all costs, have diminished.
“Young people in their 20s to 40s still recognize the institutional value of marriage, but they increasingly prioritize the quality of relationships over tradition,” the report said. “As views on marriage, childbearing and long-term partnership diversify, policy support should also reflect a wider range of family forms.”