More older couples divorce

By Kim Rahn

Older couples divorced more than younger couples in Seoul last year, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government Wednesday.

In 2014, 19,447 couples divorced. Of them, couples who were married for 20 years or longer amounted to 32.3 percent of the total, which was more than young couples who were married for four years or less at 22.5 percent.

Consequently, four out of 10 men who divorced were age 50 or older, as were three out of 10 women.

The results reflect the fact that Korean people are becoming less negative about divorce, which was once regarded as a social stigma. In 2012, 44.8 percent of Seoul citizens said couples should not divorce, but that dropped to 41.7 percent last year. Some 10 percent of people in 2012 said couples may divorce if there is a good reason, and that rose to 12.3 percent in 2014.

In contrast, 64,823 couples tied the knot last year.

Men married at the age of 32.8 on average and women at 30.7. This was 1.9 years older than the average age a decade ago for men, and 2.4 years older for women.

Most people who married were in their early 30s, for both men and women. For women, 38.4 percent of brides were in their 30s, surpassing those in their late 20s for the first time, at 36.7 percent.

Also more and more people are now thinking that marriage is optional.

In 2012, 43.1 percent of Seoul citizens said it was better to marry than not, but that number dropped to 42 percent last year. The percentage of people who said marriage was optional grew from 34.1 percent to 41 percent. Only 13.4 percent said marriage was a must last year, down from 2012’s 19.1 percent.

About 45 percent of men agreed that it is better to marry, but 46 percent of women said marriage should just be an option.