The number of marriages in South Korea neared an all-time low last year.
 
According to Statistics Korea on Wednesday, 281-thousand-600 couples tied the knot in 2016, down seven percent from the previous year. It was the lowest number since 1974, when 259-thousand-100 couples were married.
 
The crude marriage rate, or the number of marriages per one-thousand persons in a given year, stood at five-point-five, which was the lowest since 1970 when relevant statistics began to be compiled. The crude marriage rate has been falling from six-point-six in 2011 to six-point-five in 2012 and six-point-four in 2013.
 
The statistics office attributed the decline to high unemployment among people in their 20s and 30s, which has led to a delay in dating and marriage. The office said that higher levels of education among both men and women have also extended the time until young people get jobs.