SEOUL, March 19 (Xinhua) -- South Korea logged the first marriage growth in 12 years in 2023 though it remained low, statistical office data showed Tuesday.
The number of marriages added 1.0 percent over the year to 193,700 in 2023, marking the first increase since 2011, according to Statistics Korea.
Despite the slight rebound, the number stayed below 200,000 for the third consecutive year.
The younger generation increasingly delayed or gave up on marriages due to economic difficulties such as stubborn youth unemployment and high housing prices.
The average age for men getting married for the first time rose 0.3 to hit a new high of 34.0 in 2023, with the age for women climbing 0.2 to a record high of 31.5.
The number of South Koreans who tied the knot with foreign spouses advanced 18.3 percent from a year earlier to 19,700 in 2023.
The number of divorces slipped 0.9 percent to 92,400 last year, continuing to slide for the fourth successive year.
The average age of getting divorced stood at 49.9 for men and 46.6 for women in 2023.
The number of divorces between South Koreans and foreign spouses gained 5.1 percent to 6,100 last year. ■
