The number of marriages in South Korea hit a record low in 2021 due to the changing social trend and the COVID-19 pandemic, statistical office data showed Thursday.

The number of couples who tied the knot was 193,000 in 2021, down 9.8 per cent from the previous year, according to Statistics Korea. It was the lowest since data began to be compiled in 1970.

The record-low marriages came amid the rising social trend of delayed marriages, caused by soaring housing prices, higher cost to bring up children and the stubborn youth unemployment.

The pandemic downturn put more pressure on the potential couples to delay marriages last year. The average age of men getting married for the first time was 33.4 years in 2021, up 0.1 year from the prior year.

The average first-time marriage age for women gained 0.3 years to 31.1 years last year.

Meanwhile, the number of divorces declined 4.5 per cent over the year to 102,000 in 2021.

The average age of men and women getting divorced increased 0.8 years to 50.1 years and 46.8 years, respectively in 2021.

(Xinhua/NAN)