The variety of multicultural marriages in Korea final yr reached its highest degree since earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Information and Statistics stated Thursday.
The variety of births from multicultural mother and father additionally rose by greater than 1,000 from a yr earlier, marking the primary improve in 12 years.
The ministry attributed the expansion to a rebound in demand for worldwide marriages that had been subdued through the pandemic, together with the federal government’s strengthened household help measures, which seem to have benefited multicultural households.
The variety of multicultural marriages stood at 21,450 final yr, up 1,019, or 5 p.c, from the earlier yr.
The determine had been on a gentle rise since 2016 and reached 24,721 in 2019, earlier than dropping sharply to 16,177 in 2020 following the outbreak of COVID-19. It fell additional to 13,916 in 2021 however has since been recovering steadily, surpassing 20,000 in 2023.
“The rise seemingly stems from a resurgence in worldwide marriage demand that had been suppressed through the pandemic, coupled with higher stability within the residency standing of overseas employees in Korea,” a ministry official stated.
Nonetheless, whole marriages nationwide rose 14.8 p.c year-on-year to 222,000 in 2024, a a lot steeper improve than that seen amongst multicultural marriages. This led to a 1 proportion level drop within the share of multicultural marriages among the many whole to 9.6 p.c.
By sort, marriages between Korean males and overseas girls accounted for 71.2 p.c of all multicultural marriages, adopted by Korean girls and overseas males at 18.2 p.c. Instances wherein both or each spouses are naturalized residents made up 10.6 p.c.
Amongst overseas wives, Vietnamese accounted for the most important share at 26.8 p.c, adopted by Chinese language at 15.9 p.c and Thai at 10 p.c.
In the meantime, the variety of multicultural births rose to 13,416 in 2024, a rise of 1,266, or 10.4 p.c, from a yr earlier.
After declining steadily since 2013 according to the nation’s falling birthrate, the determine turned upward final yr for the primary time in 12 years.
It additionally marked the sharpest improve since 2011, when the quantity rose by 1,702. In proportion phrases, the ten.4 p.c progress was additionally the best since 2009, when multicultural births surged 41.5 p.c.
With the expansion charge of multicultural births far outpacing the three.6 p.c rise in whole births nationwide, the share of multicultural newborns climbed 0.3 proportion level from a yr earlier to five.6 p.c.
“The upward pattern seemingly displays each the rising stability of multicultural households and the federal government’s expanded household help initiatives,” the ministry official stated.
