Teens no longer believe marriage to be essential, survey says

Only three out of 10 teens believe they must get married, less than half the percentage in a similar poll conducted 11 years ago.

The National Youth Policy Institute released a report on Wednesday based on the 2023 Youth Value Survey, which surveyed 7,718 adolescents nationwide — 3,983 males and 3,735 females — ranging from students in their third year of elementary school to their final year in high school from May to July last year.

According to the survey, only 29.5 percent of respondents said marriage was essential, compared to 73.2 percent in a similar study conducted in 2012.

The drastic decrease was particularly pronounced among female students, according to the report. Some 18.8 percent agreed that marriage is a must, a drastic drop from 63.1 percent in 2012.

For male students, 39.5 percent agreed that marriage was necessary, also a significant drop from 82.3 percent in 2012.

Researchers say a value shift about marriage has occurred, with students — and female students in particular — now perceiving marriage to be a choice rather than a mandatory rite of passage.

Only 19.8 percent of the students responded that marriage must lead to having children, while 60.6 percent agreed that one can have children without marriage.

In other words, adolescents no longer view marriage and childbirth as inseparable, according to the report.

Researchers said policymakers should consider these value shifts when addressing Korea’s notoriously low birthrate, as most policies to boost births focus on married couples.

A total of 81.3 percent agreed that couples can live together without being legally married, while 91.4 percent responded that they can marry a foreigner.

A total of 52 percent agreed that same-sex marriage should be allowed.

Over half of the adolescents — 61.4 percent — thought that humanoid robots or robot pets could be a part of the family, and 89.4 percent responded that they were open to adopting a child.

Personality was the top factor in choosing a marriage partner, as it has been since 2008, with 82 percent of the respondents prioritizing it.

Appearance followed personality, pushing financial ability — the insofar perennial No. 2 — to No. 3.

“The survey revealed that the youth no longer maintain traditional values,” researchers said. “It indicates that policies regarding family and birth fundamentally need to shift.”

“The survey also shows that society needs to reset the definition of family as over half the respondents agreed on non-married couples living together and same-sex marriage,” researchers added.

“A general policy is needed to support all families like European countries where support programs for births and raising children are implemented without discrimination.”

BY LEE JI-YOUNG, KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]