Families, family life and family policy in flux

Korean families are changing fast. Fertility is low and falling rapidly. Koreans are marrying and starting families later than ever before. Couple‑with‑children households, the dominant household type in Korea until only recently, will soon make up fewer than one-quarter of all households. The Korean population, still one of the OECD’s youngest, will soon be among its oldest.This chapter provides an outline of the many ways in which families are changing in Korea. It covers developments in demographics and family structure, shifts in attitudes towards marriage, parenthood, family, gender roles, and changes in Korean public support for the family, with particular emphasis on changing financial supports.