Multicultural Marriages Hit Post-Pandemic High; Births Rise for First Time in 12 Years
The number of multicultural marriages in Korea reached its highest level since before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics. Births among multicultural families also increased by more than 1,000 from the previous year, marking the first such rise in 12 years.
Officials attributed the trend to a renewed demand for international marriages that had been limited during the pandemic and to the government’s expanded family support programs that have benefited multicultural households.
- Multicultural marriages totaled 21,450 last year, up 1,019 or about 5 percent from the year before.
- The number had been increasing steadily since 2016, reaching 24,721 in 2019.
- Numbers dropped sharply to 16,177 in 2020 following the onset of COVID-19 and fell further to 13,916 in 2021.
- Since then, they have gradually recovered, surpassing 20,000 in 2023.
“The increase likely stems from a resurgence in international marriage demand that had been suppressed during the pandemic, coupled with greater stability in the residency status of foreign workers in Korea,” a ministry official said.
Meanwhile, total marriages nationwide rose 14.8 percent year-on-year to 222,000 in 2024, a much larger increase compared with multicultural unions.
Author’s Summary
Multicultural marriages and births in Korea have rebounded strongly after the pandemic, driven by renewed international connections and supportive family policies.