A study focused on young adults who were raised in metropolitan areas like Seoul and Gyeonggi Province and pursued their education in these areas indicates that they were less likely to tie the knot compared to their counterparts hailing from rural backgrounds and attending universities in rural locations. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Korea Bizwire) – It appears that there is some validity to the notion that living in a metropolitan area can be advantageous for employment but less favorable for marriage.
A study focused on young adults who were raised in metropolitan areas like Seoul and Gyeonggi Province and pursued their education in these areas indicates that they were less likely to tie the knot compared to their counterparts hailing from rural backgrounds and attending universities in rural locations.
This disparity was identified through an analysis of data from the Youth Panel 2007, which followed the educational and career transitions of young adults aged 15 to 29 from 2007 to 2020. The findings were recently published in a journal from the Korea Institute of Health and Social Research.
Researchers singled out 4,200 respondents who were 33 years or older at the time of the last survey (taking into account early marriage). They categorized them into four groups based on their upbringing and university locations: Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province, and other provinces.
To explore the connection between these variables, the likelihood of marriage was assessed within these four groups. It was discovered that those who were raised and educated outside of metropolitan areas were 18 percent more likely to have gotten married compared to individuals in metropolitan areas.
Notably, women were found to be more profoundly affected by the interplay of their upbringing and educational choices compared to men. The probability of marriage among women in the rural group was notably higher, with a 30.1 percent increase compared to the metropolitan group.
The highest percentage of individuals who said they were married was observed in the group of individuals who were both raised and attended university in rural areas at 61.4 percent.
This was followed by those who were raised in rural areas but educated in metropolitan areas at 59.8 percent, those who were both raised and educated in metropolitan areas at 56.6 percent, and those who grew up in the city but went to university in rural areas at 54.5 percent.
One of the authors of the study explained, “In general, metropolitan areas tend to be densely populated, with limited opportunities for quality education and employment.
This heightened competition often places a premium on individual survival over the pursuit of marriage and starting a family, affecting various aspects of young people’s lives from their developmental years and creating barriers to marriage.”
The substantial influence of regional background on women’s marriage prospects is likely attributed to the persistent perception that the demands of work and marriage are still in conflict.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
