By Oh Young-jin
Staff Reporter

About half of single women don't consider marriage a necessary part of their lives, while only four in 10 children consider supporting their elderly parents as a duty. More than half of those surveyed approved of interracial marriages.

The latest survey by the National Statistical Office (NSO), which tracks changing trends in families, also shows that about one eighth of them are ``goose'' households, with at least one immediate family member living apart from the rest.

Among single women, 46.5 percent said that they were not desperate to get married and could live without doing so, compared to 35.2 percent of single men. However, in a more general sample of those aged 15 or over, 68 percent said that they would prefer to take the plunge.

Regarding divorces, 56 percent object for a variety of reasons, but objection decreases as the ages of respondents decreases.

As for second marriages, supporters outnumber opponents by 7.5 percentage points, with men showing more willingness than women for a second visit to the altar.

Reflecting the growing number of interracial marriages, about 56 percent had ``no objections'' but living together outside wedlock still faces opposition from 57.7 percent of respondents, with 42.3 percent seeing no problem.

Only 21.5 percent of respondents wanted children while nearly three quarters chose not to. As for adoption, 17.4 percent say they would be willing to consider it if they experienced difficulty in having children, with 15.3 percent willing to adopt irrespective of whether they have their own biological children, circumstances permitting.

In another change bucking Confucian tradition, an increasing number of children see taking care of aging parents as being a duty that should be shared by the family and the state. Among those aged 15 or older, this year's survey showed about 43.6 percent support it being a shared duty, up from 26.4 percent in 2006 and 18.2 percent in 2002.

Concerning college education, 98.6 percent of parents believe they should pay all or at least part of their children's tuition; and 88.8 percent were willing to foot part of or the entire bill when their children get married.

Among middle and high school students, the No. 1 concern was studying for college entrance, followed by job prospects and appearance.

Disappointing fathers is that friends are the main counselors people turn to when they have a problem, with only 3.4 percent talking heart to heart with their parent.

foolsdie@koreatimes.co.kr