South Korea Marriages Hit 7-Year High in 2025

APP/KYODO

Seoul: South Korea recorded a notable rise in marriages in 2025, with the number increasing by 8.1 percent year-on-year to reach a seven-year high, according to official data released on Thursday.

A total of 240,300 marriages were registered during the year, compared to 222,400 in 2024, marking the third consecutive annual increase, data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics showed. The figure is also close to the pre-pandemic level of 239,200 recorded in 2019.

Marriage rates had hovered around the 200,000 mark between 2020 and 2023, as many couples delayed weddings due to COVID-19 disruptions. The latest surge reflects a rebound driven by postponed ceremonies and a growing population in their early 30s.

Officials also cited a gradual shift in public attitudes, noting that perceptions toward marriage among singles have become more positive in recent years.

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The average age at first marriage rose further, with men marrying at 33.9 years on average in 2025, compared to 32.6 a decade ago. For women, the average age increased to 31.6 from 30 years ten years earlier.

Meanwhile, the number of divorces declined by 3.3 percent to 88,000 cases, indicating a modest improvement in marital stability.

Marriages between South Koreans and foreign nationals, however, edged down slightly by 0.3 percent to 21,000, ending a three-year upward trend. Such unions accounted for 8.6 percent of total marriages, down 0.7 percentage points from the previous year.

Among foreign spouses, Vietnamese women constituted the largest share at 30.5 percent, followed by Chinese women at 16.1 percent and Thai women at 12.5 percent. For foreign husbands, Americans made up 28.2 percent, followed by Chinese at 16.6 percent and Vietnamese at 14.8 percent.

In contrast, divorces among multicultural couples rose by 4.2 percent year-on-year to 6,000 cases, the data showed.