South Korea sees rise in marriages in 2024

(MENAFN) According to reports released by the national statistical office on Thursday, South Korea witnessed a 14.8% rise in the number of marriages during the last year, reaching a total of 222,400. This figure represents the highest marriage rate in five years, continuing an upward trajectory for the second year in a row, as reported by Statistics Korea.

The rate of international marriages, involving South Koreans and foreign nationals, rose by 5.3% to 20,800 in 2024, marking the third consecutive year of growth. These multicultural unions accounted for 9.3% of all marriages in the country, a slight decline from 10.2% in 2024.

Among foreign brides, women from Vietnam represented the largest proportion at 32.1%, followed by women from China at 16.7% and Thailand at 13.7%. Regarding foreign husbands, U.S. nationals formed the largest group at 28.8%, with Chinese men at 17.6% and Vietnamese men at 15.0%.

In contrast, the number of divorces in South Korea decreased by 1.3%, falling to 91,200 in 2024. This marks the fifth consecutive year of decline in the divorce rate. Among international couples, divorces also saw a reduction, dropping by 1.4% to 6,000 in the past year.

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