Share of women who are married or in a union in South Korea
South Korea: Share of women who are married or in a union was 0.2% in 2015. ◆ Volatile
Share of women who are married or in a union in South Korea, 1970–2015
Source: United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 0.2% for share of women who are married or in a union in 2015. That is the lowest value across all 46 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.0% on the previous year and down 49.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are married or in a union in South Korea peaked at 2.8% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2015.
That places South Korea 214th out of 221 countries with data for 2015, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of women who are married or in a union in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2.8% | — |
| 1971 | 2.8% | -2.5% |
| 1972 | 2.7% | -2.5% |
| 1973 | 2.6% | -2.6% |
| 1974 | 2.6% | -2.7% |
| 1975 | 2.5% | -2.7% |
| 1976 | 2.4% | -2.8% |
| 1977 | 2.4% | -2.9% |
| 1978 | 2.3% | -3.0% |
| 1979 | 2.2% | -3.1% |
| 1980 | 2.1% | -3.2% |
| 1981 | 2.1% | -3.3% |
| 1982 | 2.0% | -3.4% |
| 1983 | 1.9% | -3.5% |
| 1984 | 1.9% | -3.6% |
| 1985 | 1.8% | -3.7% |
| 1986 | 1.7% | -3.9% |
| 1987 | 1.7% | -4.0% |
| 1988 | 1.6% | -4.2% |
| 1989 | 1.5% | -4.4% |
| 1990 | 1.4% | -4.6% |
| 1991 | 1.4% | -4.8% |
| 1992 | 1.3% | -5.1% |
| 1993 | 1.2% | -5.4% |
| 1994 | 1.2% | -5.7% |
| 1995 | 1.1% | -6.0% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | -6.4% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | -6.8% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | -7.3% |
| 1999 | 0.8% | -7.9% |
| 2000 | 0.7% | -8.6% |
| 2001 | 0.7% | -9.4% |
| 2002 | 0.6% | -10.3% |
| 2003 | 0.5% | -11.5% |
| 2004 | 0.5% | -13.0% |
| 2005 | 0.4% | -14.9% |
| 2006 | 0.4% | -5.0% |
| 2007 | 0.4% | -5.2% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | -5.5% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | -5.8% |
| 2010 | 0.3% | -6.2% |
| 2011 | 0.3% | -6.6% |
| 2012 | 0.3% | -7.1% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -7.6% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | -8.2% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | -9.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.8% | 1.5% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.1% | 0.8% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More gender data for South Korea
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 4,318 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -3.79 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 119,025 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 125,732 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 116,471 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 122,813 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 119,098 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 125,514 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 124,678 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 131,322 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are married or in a union in South Korea?
- Share of women who are married or in a union in South Korea was 0.2% in 2015, according to United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.8% in 1970.
- What is the lowest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2015.
- How does South Korea rank for share of women who are married or in a union?
- South Korea ranks 214th out of 221 countries with data for 2015.
- Is share of women who are married or in a union rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women who are married or in a union. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of women aged 15-19 sharing a household with their partner, whether married, cohabiting, in consensual partnerships, or in other non-marital unions.