The proportion of births outside of marriage in South Korea reached an all-time high last year, data showed, indicating a possible shift in accepted norms.

A total of 13,800 babies were born out of wedlock in 2024, accounting for a record 5.8 percent of all births in the country, according to Statistics Korea.

The ratio had stayed at around 2 percent from 2014 to 2017 but steadily rose to 2.2 percent in 2018, 3.9 percent in 2022 and further to 4.7 percent in 2023.

In related surveys, the share of respondents who view having children outside of marriage as acceptable increased from 21.5 percent in 2008 to 37.2 percent in 2024.

In 2024, the number of babies born in South Korea increased for the first time in nine years. (Yonhap)


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