By Lee Hae-rin
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Nearly half of Korean adults of child-bearing age believe it is acceptable to go through life without having children, according to a new report.
The findings revealed that the preference for a childless lifestyle was more prevalent among women, particularly those in their twenties, and non-regular workers with unstable employment.
The report was presented at the Population Forum held in Seoul on December 20, organised by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA). The survey, conducted by KIHASA, gathered responses from 4,000 men and women aged 19 to 79 nationwide between November 3 and December 6.
Economic conditions such as jobs, housing expenses and child support negatively affect marriage and childbirth
The results showed that more than half, or 52.6 per cent of the respondents, said they wouldn’t mind not having children, while only 30.2 per cent said having children is better than having none; and 10.3 per cent said they must have one.
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The number of women who answered they wouldn’t mind living without children was 63.5 per cent, higher than that of men’s 41.2 per cent.