Falling marriage and birth rates have long been an issue in South Korea. Despite the recent rise in matchmaking services, the numbers remain at record lows so the government is now hosting its own.
In 2023, the number of marriages was 40% lower compared to a decade ago.
The country’s total fertility rate – the average number of children a woman will have in her reproductive years – hit an all-time low of 0.72, the lowest in the world.
Experts attribute these figures to South Korea’s long working hours, which in 2017 were the second highest globally after Mexico.
Poor work-life balance, high housing prices and costly childcare also make it challenging for women to return to work after childbirth.
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