South Korea sees surge in international marriages

The number of marriages between Korean nationals and foreign spouses increased for the third consecutive year in 2024, according to data released Thursday, Azernews reports, citing Korea JoongAng Daily.

Multicultural marriages reached a total of 20,759 in 2024, up 1,042 from the previous year’s 19,717, according to Statistics Korea.

International marriages had sharply declined to around 15,000 in 2020, down from about 24,000 the previous year, and fell further to around 13,000 in 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the number rebounded to 16,666 in 2022.

In 2024, multicultural marriages made up 9.3% of all marriages in South Korea, a slight decrease from 10.1% in 2023.

Vietnamese women represented the largest group of foreign wives, making up 32.1% of all foreign spouses, followed by Chinese women at 16.7% and Thai women at 13.7%. Among foreign husbands, those from the United States accounted for 28.9%, followed by those from China at 17.6% and Vietnam at 15%.

The number of divorces among multicultural couples decreased by 1.4% year-on-year, totaling 6,022 in 2024.

Meanwhile, the overall number of marriages in South Korea surged by 14.8% in 2024, reaching 222,422 – the sharpest annual increase since Statistics Korea began compiling data in 1970.

This rise in both multicultural marriages and overall marriages reflects changing social dynamics and growing international connections within South Korea. Experts note that the increase in multicultural unions highlights the country's increasingly diverse population, which continues to evolve amid globalization and changing attitudes toward marriage.