The number of marriages in the country plunged 40 percent over the past decade amid record low birthrates.

According to data from Statistics Korea on Sunday, 193-thousand-673 couples tied the knot last year, down 40 percent from 322-thousand-807 in 2013.

The figure had fluctuated until 2011, when it reached nearly 333-thousand. The number of nuptials started to decline since 2012 and decreased for the eleventh consecutive year until 2022, when it posted 191-thousand-690.

In 2023, the figure rebounded and increased by one percent after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is uncertain if the rise will continue.

The sharp fall in the numbers is attributed to a shift in people’s perceptions of marriage.

According to a study by Statistics Korea in 2022, only 15-point-three percent of teenagers believed that marriage was a must, down from 20-point-three percent in 2012.

During the period, the proportion of teenagers who said it was good to get married dropped from 42-point-four percent to 34-point-eight percent.