Seoul: More South Korean Women Consider Marriage and Childbearing Not Mandatory: Survey
According to a survey by the Korean Association for Social Welfare Studies, released on Sunday, more than half of South Korean women do not consider marriage and having children to be crucial parts of their life.
This points to a rising tide of women in South Korean culture who are rejecting stereotypes about what they should and should not do based on their gender.
According to a survey conducted by the association, only 4% of female respondents and 12.9% of male respondents agreed that marriage and having children are "mandatory."
The poll included 281 unmarried men and women between the ages of 20 and 34. 45% of the survey takers were female.
According to the results, respondents' opinions on South Korean society were linked to how they felt about the value of marriage and having children.
According to the study's examination of the survey responses, respondents who reported a high quality of life and satisfaction with society were more likely to value marriage and having children.
The study concluded that this indicates that respondents who have a higher level of social trust and who believe their community is capable of offering more possibilities and equality are more likely to see marriage and having children favourably.
According to a different survey conducted in South Korea, less individuals there view financial assistance of one's parents as a moral obligation.
The Korea Institute of Health and Social Affairs surveyed 7,865 homes between March and July of 2022.
Less than one-fifth of those polled (21% in this case) now believe that children should live with their parents and pitch in with household chores, down from a high of 52.6% in 1997.
Over the past 15 years, there has been a steady decline in the proportion of people who agree with the statement "young children should be taken care of by their mothers at home."
Sixty-four percent of people polled in 2007 agreed that moms should be the primary carers for their kids. In the study conducted in 2022, this figure dropped to 39.6%.
The survey revealed that more people now believe that society and the state are responsible for providing care for the elderly and children, as opposed to families doing so in the past.