Multicultural Marriages on the Rise as South Korea Grows More Diverse (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Korea Bizwire) — The number of marriages between South Koreans and foreign nationals rose for a third consecutive year in 2024, continuing a steady recovery from the pandemic-era slump, government data showed Thursday.
According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics, a total of 21,450 international marriages were registered last year, up about 5 percent from 20,431 in 2023.
Such unions had plunged to 13,926 in 2021 amid pandemic restrictions, before rebounding to 17,428 in 2022 and 20,431 in 2023.
Overall, South Korea recorded 222,000 marriages in 2024, a 14.8 percent increase from the previous year — signaling a broader rebound in the country’s long-declining marriage rate.
Among multicultural unions, marriages involving foreign wives were the most common at 15,271, followed by those with foreign husbands at 3,898 and naturalized citizens at 2,281.
The Woori Multicultural Children’s Choir performs at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Korea Multicultural Festa held at Baekbeom Square on Namsan in Seoul on October 25. (Yonhap)
Marriages to foreign wives and husbands rose 7 percent and 6.5 percent, respectively, while marriages involving naturalized spouses fell 8.9 percent.
Divorces among multicultural couples declined slightly, falling 2 percent from a year earlier to 7,991 cases in 2024.
The rise in international marriages comes as South Korea grapples with a demographic crisis marked by one of the world’s lowest birthrates and a rapidly aging population. In many rural areas, international unions have helped sustain local communities as younger Koreans leave in search of jobs and education.
Experts say the rebound reflects both the easing of pandemic-era travel restrictions and shifting attitudes toward multicultural families in a country that has long viewed itself as ethnically homogenous.
Yet challenges remain: many foreign spouses still face language barriers, cultural isolation, and economic hardship, particularly in smaller towns.
Government programs have expanded in recent years to support multicultural households through language education, employment assistance, and childcare subsidies.
Still, sociologists warn that social acceptance continues to lag behind policy, underscoring the need for deeper integration efforts as South Korea grows more diverse.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
