Only 36% of young adults are positive about marriage

According to a recent study, the leading factor dissuading young adults from tying the knot is a "lack of financial resources," cited by 33.7% of respondents. This is followed by the "absence of a perceived need to marry" (17.3%) and the "burden of childbirth and child-rearing" (11.0%). When the data is analyzed by gender, an overwhelming 40.9% of men identified financial constraints as the primary roadblock to marriage. Only 13.3% of male respondents said they did not see the necessity for such a commitment. Conversely, while 26.4% of women also cited financial issues, a nearly equal proportion (23.7%) felt no compulsion to marry. A representative from the Statistics Office commented, "Women are generally more skeptical of the institution of marriage, potentially influenced by the challenges of balancing work and family responsibilities."

"Women are generally more skeptical of the institution of marriage, potentially influenced by the challenges of balancing work and family responsibilities,” a representative from Statistics Korea commented.

The trend of young couples aspiring to be 'DINKs'—Double Income, No Kids—is rising. According to last year's figures, a notable 53.5% of young adults feel there is no requirement to have children even if they opt for matrimony, marking a steady rise from 46.4% in 2018. Among genders, 43.3% of men and 65.0% of women expressed no intention of becoming parents. Additionally, the willingness to adopt has waned, dropping to 31.5% last year from 52.0% a decade ago. The prevailing reason for not considering adoption is a lack of perceived necessity.

Despite these shifts, it's important to note that the overall attitude toward family remains largely positive. In the most recent survey, 73.5% of respondents expressed satisfaction with their existing family relationships, including those with parents, siblings, and children. This figure is up from 64.8% a decade ago. The data suggests that young people are not inherently opposed to the concept of family but are more likely to steer clear of marriage and child-rearing due to societal and economic pressures.


1am@donga.com