Can the decline in marriage rate be arrested?

The marriage rate of 7.2 per thousand last year was the lowest in a decade, according to the National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Civil Affairs, and the singles' population reached about 240 million, sparking debates online.

However, the declining marriage rate is not exclusive to China. Other countries, especially the developed ones, are also experiencing this phenomenon, with many attributing the declining marriage rate to social and economic development. In fact, the 2016 data of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development show that a majority of OCED member countries have a crude marriage rate of less than 6 per thousand.

Besides, according to a Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs study, 33 percent of men aged between 35 and 39, and 19 percent of women aged 35-39 in the Republic of Korea are unmarried. Which suggests the marriage rate in the ROK, too, is falling.