“Traditional four-member households of ‘Dad, Mom, and two children’ see first decline at 3 million… Single and two-person households are increasing”

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### Change in Family Structure in South Korea: Households of Four Drop Below 3 Million for the First Time

The traditional family structure in South Korea, represented by households of four, has decreased to below 3 million for the first time in nearly a decade.

According to the demographic statistics from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on June 6, 2024, there are 2,993,545 four-person households in the country. This marks the first occurrence of four-person households falling below the 3 million mark.

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Four-person households have showed a continuous downward trend since dropping below 4 million for the first time in March 2016, when they were recorded at 3,999,450. Starting from 3,940,000 households at the end of 2016, this number has decreased to 3,140,000 by the end of 2023, and is projected to reach 3,050,000 by the end of 2024. Notably, throughout this year, the count steadily declined from 3,046,930 in January to 3,005,979 in May, ultimately breaking the 3 million mark for the first time in 9 years and 3 months.

### Intensification of Low Birth Rates Accelerates Changes in Family Composition

The decline in four-person households is analyzed to be directly related to the worsening low birth rate issue. Although the government has implemented various policies to combat low birth rates, resulting in a noteworthy rise in birth rates last year for the first time in nine years, many households still feel burdened by issues related to work-family balance, childcare, and housing.

#### Worsening Low Birth Rate Issue

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Currently, many families are limiting themselves to just one child, even if they do decide to have children. As of June 2024, there are 4,068,207 three-person households, significantly surpassing the number of four-person households.

Since entering the 4 million range at 4,002,19 in July 2019, the number of three-person households has been consistently on the rise. In addition, households consisting only of couples living without children, or two-person households living with siblings or friends, have already reached 6 million, while one-person households have surpassed 10 million. This transformation in family structure is expected to accelerate in the future.

According to the 'Future Household Projection: 2022-2052' from the Statistics Korea, the share of four-person households is projected to plummet from 14.1% in 2022 to 6.7% by 2052. Meanwhile, the proportions of one-person and two-person households are expected to increase by 7.2 percentage points and 6.9 percentage points, respectively, with four-person households anticipated to see the largest decrease by 7.4 percentage points. This indicates the gradual disappearance of large family configurations.

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Despite these significant demographic changes, the establishment of a control tower by the government to oversee the reversal of low birth trends and population policies remains stagnant.

The establishment of a 'Population Strategy Planning Department,' which was pushed forward by the previous administration in response to low birth rates and aging population, has effectively stalled after the change in government. Additionally, the Low Birth Rate and Aging Society Committee, which used to meet monthly, has also halted its meetings. Furthermore, the position of the Population Policy Secretary has been vacant for two months.

Image source: Reference photos for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank

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