Number of one-person households in South Korea doubles

Data from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family of South Korea shows that the proportion of single-person households will account for 33.4% in 2023, double that of a decade ago.

Specifically, as of December 2023, South Korea has 9.93 million one-person households, an increase of more than 211,000 households compared to 2022.

This means that nearly half of South Koreans live alone. At the same time, the data shows that household types have become more diverse, with many South Koreans choosing to live alone, adopt children, or live together without being married.

By gender, the proportion of women living alone significantly exceeded that of men at 62.3%. By age, more than 50% were households of people over 60 years old, people over 70 years old accounted for 27.1% and 23.9% were under 30 years old.

A man chooses instant noodles at a supermarket in Seoul, December 2023. Photo: Yonhap — A man chooses instant noodles at a supermarket in Seoul, December 2023. Photo: *Yonhap*

It seems that economics is one of the main reasons why people are single. The survey found that single-person households admitted to having difficulty finding quality meals (42.6%). The next biggest worries were illness and emergencies (37.6%), and loneliness (23.3%).

25.6% of people living alone said they had difficulty cleaning their home, preparing meals and buying groceries. At the same time, 24.6% of single-person households said they felt anxious and 10% feared facing crime.

The growing rate of one-person households also speaks to the outlook and values of life in Korea.

More than 47% of survey participants agreed to live single and unmarried, an increase of 13 percentage points compared to 2020. To the question "Can men and women live together without getting married?", 39% agreed.

Additionally, about 20% said they could adopt while living alone and unmarried.

The survey also found that young Koreans are taking a more positive view of having children. The proportion of those in their 30s and under 30s who said they planned to have children rose to 27.6% and 15.7%, up 9.4 and 6.8 percentage points from 2020, respectively.

Although the proportion of men involved in childcare increased compared to 2020, women still have to take on more responsibility for childcare. Specifically, they have to take care of meals, sleep, when they are sick, and participate in school events. The survey found that husbands are often responsible for practicing habits for children.

Ngoc Ngan (According to Korea Herald )

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