South Korean media reports: Out-of-wedlock births approach 6%; social acceptance needs to be improved

The number of children born outside of marriage to people who are not legally married is rapidly increasing. According to the "Population Trends" data released by the Korea National Statistical Office the day before yesterday, the number of children born outside of marriage last year was 13,800, down from 230,000.
This accounts for 5.8% of the total 8,300 births. The proportion of births outside marriage approached 6% last year, after exceeding 2% in 2018, 3% in 2022, and 4% in 2023.
This means that the traditional idea that giving birth outside of marriage is immoral is collapsing. Although the rate of births outside of marriage is increasing rapidly, it is still far below that of major countries overseas.
The average for the 37 OECD member countries is 42%. France has the highest rate at around 60%, while Scandinavian countries such as Sweden are in the 50% range. The only countries lower than Korea are Japan and Turkey, both in the 2% range.
Considering the pace of growth, it is highly likely that South Korea will also reach double digits in the next few years. Public opinion polls also support this outlook. A recent survey by the Korea Women's Policy Institute found that 2
Among young people in their 20s to 30s, over 40% of both men and women have a positive view of out-of-wedlock childbirth. However, older generations are still bound by traditional ideas.
The survey revealed that seven out of ten people in their 60s and older are opposed to non-marital childbirth. This is because there is a lack of social consideration, and couples who give birth out of wedlock and children born outside of marriage face social prejudice.
Although it has become easier to register the birth of a child born to an unmarried mother than in the past, the procedure for registering the birth of a child born to an unmarried father is still complicated, requiring permission from the court.
It is still complicated to get married. It is also difficult for unmarried cohabiting couples to take time off work. Non-marital childbirth requires a great deal of social protection and support, but there are few legal or institutional mechanisms to provide this.
The reality is that out-of-wedlock births are no longer something special. Rather, they are one of the driving forces behind diversifying family structures and increasing the inclusiveness of Korean society.
Research has shown a positive correlation between the rates of births and non-marriage. The older generation needs to be more open-minded. The Korean government and the National Assembly must also make efforts to eliminate discrimination against non-marital births.
It is also worth considering reviving the bill to support out-of-wedlock childbirth, which was proposed in the Diet but later scrapped.