Single-person households (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – The proportion of never-married individuals in their 40s has increased dramatically in South Korea, with 23.6% of men and 11.9% of women remaining single in 2020 – representing a 6.7-fold and 5.7-fold increase respectively compared to 20 years ago, according to a new government report.
Statistics Korea released these findings in its “Social Trends in Korea 2024″ report on December 19, marking the 17th edition of its annual social trends analysis.
The report projects that households headed by seniors aged 65 and older will nearly double from 24.1% in 2022 to 43.1% by 2040.
The marriage trends are even more pronounced among those in their 30s. By 2020, 50.5% of men and 32.8% of women in this age group had never married – representing increases of 2.7 and 4.7 times respectively compared to 2000 (18.7% for men, 7% for women).
According to an analysis by professor Kye Bongoh of Kookmin University, employment rates show interesting gender differences: unmarried men have lower employment rates than their married counterparts, while single women show higher employment rates than married women.
The declining marriage rates, coupled with a persistent drop in fertility rates, are accelerating population aging. Government projections show the proportion of people aged 65 and older will double from 17.4% in 2022 to 34.3% by 2040.
Professor Ko Jin-soo of Kwangwoon University found that 22.1% of elderly households reported needing home modifications, particularly safety features like non-slip flooring, emergency bells, and removal of height differences between rooms.
The aging population also presents healthcare challenges. According to an analysis conducted by Seoul Asan Hospital professors Ji Sung-hwan and Jung Heewon, elderly Koreans averaged 2.2 chronic conditions in 2023, with 35.9% having three or more chronic diseases. The proportion of seniors taking 10 or more medications for over 90 days increased from 10.4% in 2010 to 14.4% in 2019.
The report also highlighted the emergence of “young family caregivers” – those aged 13-34 who are primary caregivers for family members. Professor Kim Ju-hyun of Chungnam National University estimates that about 153,044 young people (1.3% of their age group) fell into this category in 2020. Over 30% were caring for their mothers, and among those aged 19-34, more than half (51.3%) were providing both direct care and financial support.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
