South Korea Sees Rise in Young Adult Marriages

In South Korea, Statistics Korea reports an increase in marriages among people in their twenties and early thirties. After a decade of decline, marriage rates are rising for both young men and women aged 25 to 34.

In 2024, there were 69,300 marriages involving women aged 25-29, a reversal from the 55,700 recorded in 2023—a 49% drop from 2015. A similar trend appears for men in the same age group, with marriages increasing from 34,600 in 2023 to 39,800 in 2024.

The increase coincides with a broader rise in overall marriages, reaching 240,000 in 2025—the third consecutive year of growth after a decade of decreases. Experts suggest factors include pent-up demand following pandemic restrictions and a demographic “echo,” with more people of marrying age. However, it remains unclear if this is a temporary fluctuation or a lasting shift.

Less than half of the South Korean population (42.8%) views having children outside of marriage as “acceptable,” even as the number of single-parent families grows. The government offers housing support to newly married couples, with 39,121 applications submitted for 1,686 available units in 2025. The average age for first marriage is also rising, reaching 33.9 years for men and 31.6 years for women in 2025.