1 in 4 singles opt to remain that way

One in four unmarried men and women chose to remain single, according to a survey by Job Korea and Albamon, Wednesday. Gettyimagesbank

By Bahk Eun-ji

One in four unmarried men and women in Korea plan to remain single, a poll showed, Wednesday.

According to the survey by local job portals Job Korea and Albamon of 1,185 adults in their 20s and 30s on their views on marriage, 83.2 percent said they felt positive about not marrying at all.

More than 93 percent of female respondents said so, compared with 69.2 percent of male respondents.

Of 1,025 singles among those surveyed, the portals asked whether they would remain unmarried, and 24.8 percent said yes, while 31.5 percent said they would get married some day and 43.7 percent said they did not know.

The reasons for not marrying varied by gender.

When multiple answers were allowed, 71.9 percent of male respondents said soaring housing prices and child-rearing costs are factors that contribute to their reluctance to marry, while 57.3 percent said they might feel pressure from in-laws.

For women, on the other hand, 62.4 percent cited pressure from the new relationship resulting from marriage, while 61.8 percent said they want to focus on themselves rather than family.