Divorces in S. Korea decline in 2008

SEOUL, April 27 (Yonhap) -- The number of divorces in South Korea continued to
drop in 2008 as marriage declined and the government's efforts to stem divorces
paid off, a report showed Monday.

According to the report by the Korea National Statistical Office (NSO), a total
of 116,500 couples filed for divorce last year, down 7,500 from a year earlier.
The figure, which peaked at 166,617 in 2003, marked the fifth consecutive year of
decline.
The drop is attributed to overall falls in marriages and a new regulation
introduced in July last year under which couples with young children will have to
review their decision to separate for three months before being allowed to
proceed.
"Couples seemed to take divorce more seriously than before and the government
measure helped them reconsider their decision by giving them more time to think
about it," an NSO official said.
Personality differences and economic problems were still the major reasons for
ending marriages, with 47.8 percent and 14.2 percent respectively citing those
factors. Adultery, physical or mental abuse were also cited.
The percentage of divorces among couples who lived together for more than 20
years has been on the increase, accounting for 23.1 percent of the total in 2008,
compared with 20.1 percent a year earlier.
The average divorce age kept rising as a growing number of couples decided to end
their marriages at later ages, the report showed.
Men filed for divorce at an average age of 44.3, up 1.1 percent from a year
earlier, while the average divorce age for women rose 1 percent to 40.5 over the
cited period. Ten years ago, men and women got divorced at average ages of 39.7
and 36, respectively.
Among international marriages, a total of 11,255 couples filed for divorce last
year, up 29.8 percent from a year earlier, the report noted. More than eight out
of ten cases were among those who had been married for less than five years.
Couples consisting of a Korean husband and a Chinese wife accounted for the
largest number of divorces among international marriages with 67.8 percent.
Couples made up of a Korean husband and Vietnamese wife came in second with 13.5
percent, the report showed.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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