In 2025, the number of single-person households in South Korea surpassed 8 million for the first time, accounting for a record 36 percent of all households. The photo shows a shared kitchen at a single-person household support center in Seongdong District, Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Korea Bizwire) — The rapid growth of single-person households in South Korea is helping expand local employment, particularly in service industries, while reshaping family support systems for working parents, according to a new study by the Korea Development Institute.
The report, released late last year and cited by academics on Thursday, found that young adults living alone tend to rely heavily on outsourced services for daily needs such as meals, housework and leisure, driving demand in restaurants, retail, accommodation and health and social welfare sectors.
As a result, the expansion of one-person households has emerged as a meaningful source of regional job creation. The study estimated that for every 100 additional single-person households, about 27 new jobs are created locally — primarily in face-to-face service industries rather than manufacturing.
The increase has also contributed to a rise in small businesses, with the strongest growth seen among firms employing fewer than 10 people.
The research further highlighted the close link between residential patterns and women’s participation in the labor market.
With the growing number of single person households, the number of meal kit products for single person households has increased dramatically. (Yonhap)
Women raising young children were significantly less likely to leave the workforce when they lived near their parents, who often provide informal child care. The effect was especially pronounced among highly educated women, families with multiple children and households with preschool-age children.
Similar patterns were observed when families lived close to in-laws, suggesting that grandparent-provided child care — often referred to as “twilight parenting” — has become an informal but critical safety net for dual-income households.
The findings underscore gaps in South Korea’s public child care system, which grandparents increasingly fill when formal services fall short.
The report called for stronger policy support to reduce reliance on family-based care, urging expanded access to emergency and irregular child care services. It also recommended housing policies that encourage nearby living arrangements between parents and adult children, citing Singapore’s multigenerational housing model as a potential reference.
Researchers said such measures, alongside policies promoting greater participation by fathers in child care, would be essential to sustaining female employment and supporting families amid shifting demographic trends.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
