In 2023, the divorce rate in South Korea was 1.8 divorces per 1,000 inhabitants, similar to the previous year. The divorce rate reached its peak in 2003 at about 3.4 divorces per 1,000 people and has been declining since then.
Cultural perception of divorce
In 2023, a total of approximately 92,400 divorces were recorded in South Korea, demonstrating a consistent decline in divorces over recent years. This decline coincides with a decrease in the overall number of marriages during the same period. Traditionally, divorce was stigmatized in South Korea's patriarchal society. However, as more women enter the workforce and women's rights progress, Korean society has seen a greater acceptance of divorce in recent years.
Decline in marriages
Over the same period, the number of marriages has also declined across the country. This decline is especially noticeable due to the changing perception of marriage among South Korean women, who are placing less importance on marriage compared to previous generations. A survey conducted in 2023 identified financial constraints and a decreased desire for marriage as the most important reasons for avoiding marriage.
Crude divorce rate in South Korea from 1994 to 2023
(per 1,000 inhabitants)
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Statistics Korea. (June 5, 2024). Crude divorce rate in South Korea from 1994 to 2023 (per 1,000 inhabitants) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 19, 2024, from https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/642501/south-korea-divorce-rate/
Statistics Korea. "Crude divorce rate in South Korea from 1994 to 2023 (per 1,000 inhabitants)." Chart. June 5, 2024. Statista. Accessed September 19, 2024. https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/642501/south-korea-divorce-rate/
Statistics Korea. (2024). Crude divorce rate in South Korea from 1994 to 2023 (per 1,000 inhabitants). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: September 19, 2024. https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/642501/south-korea-divorce-rate/
Statistics Korea. "Crude Divorce Rate in South Korea from 1994 to 2023 (per 1,000 Inhabitants)." Statista, Statista Inc., 5 Jun 2024, https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/642501/south-korea-divorce-rate/
Statistics Korea, Crude divorce rate in South Korea from 1994 to 2023 (per 1,000 inhabitants) Statista, https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/642501/south-korea-divorce-rate/ (last visited September 19, 2024)
Crude divorce rate in South Korea from 1994 to 2023 (per 1,000 inhabitants) [Graph], Statistics Korea, June 5, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www-statista-com.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/statistics/642501/south-korea-divorce-rate/