Almost half of South Koreans in their 20s now say they would prefer to be part of a couple that does not have children after marriage. This is a jump from 2015, when only 3 in 10 Koreans backed the idea, a local think tank said Monday. South Korea has the lowest fertility rate in the world.
Having children after marriage is no longer a must, but a choice for many young Koreans, the Korea Development Institute said, describing the change as a shift in public perception of “traditional marriage,” where couples are expected to work together on child-rearing shortly after their wedding.
Last year, South Korea’s fertility rate — the average number of children a woman carries in her lifetime — hit a record low for four straight years as the rate had remained below 1 percent.
