Women Twice as Likely as Men to Shun Marriage... 70% of Seoul Youth Say They Have Experienced Gender Discrimination

Seoul Foundation of Women and Family Survey Analysis
Top Reason for Avoiding Marriage: "Seeing No Need for It"

A survey found that 7 in 10 young people living in Seoul believe that both women and men are exposed to inequality. The share of respondents who said they did not want to marry or have children was about twice as high among women as among men.

According to a report titled "Seoul Youths' Life Outlook and Policy Needs Based on Their Perceptions of Gender Equality," released by the Seoul Foundation of Women and Family on Nov. 15, 70.2% of respondents fell into a category that recognizes discrimination against both women and men. The finding came from an online survey conducted from May 11 to 29, 2026, of 2,647 young Seoul residents aged 19 to 34.

By category, the largest group was the "fairness-oriented type" (40.3%), whose members acknowledged both structural inequality faced by women and discrimination against men to some degree. The "gender discrimination-sensitive type" (29.9%), which views discrimination against women as serious while also recognizing discrimination against men and the importance of gender-neutral fairness, came next. By contrast, the "gender equality-oriented type" (14.5%), which has a strong awareness only of discrimination against women, and the "reverse discrimination-sensitive type" (6.4%), which emphasizes only discrimination against men, accounted for smaller shares.

In a survey of 2,331 unmarried young people about their intentions to marry, 25.6% of women and 12.8% of men said, "I do not want to get married." The most common reason for not wanting to marry among both women and men was "I do not feel that marriage is necessary" (51.8% of women and 38.9% of men), followed by "the financial burden" (14.7% of women and 23.9% of men). The share who did not want to have or adopt children was also more than twice as high among women (32.3%) as among men (16%). The main reason was found to be the financial burden (28.8% of women and 47.2% of men).

When asked about their values in life, a majority of respondents (52.8%) cited "a stable life." This was followed by high income (20.6%), work-life balance (16.3%), and self-fulfillment (7.1%). In-depth interviews found that women identified maintaining their careers and balancing work and life as key conditions for stability, while men pointed to increasing their income and the burden of securing housing. "Work" ranked first among the key elements in planning for the future (44.5%), followed by "personal life" (18.3%), "partnership" (16.1%), and "children and family" (14.6%).

The foundation said, "As young people's policy needs vary according to their perceptions of gender equality and their outlook on life, these factors should be carefully incorporated into existing support measures for young people, including those related to jobs, housing, and caregiving."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.