A 33-year-old office worker surnamed Kim lives alone in a small studio apartment in Bongcheon-dong, southern Seoul in South Korea, where he can easily commute by subway. Having lived alone for 13 years, he who used to live together with his parents and a younger brother before moving out has found out his single life is quiet handy, allowing for some leeway financially and mentally.

“My parents want me to get married, but I have no plan of doing so for now after I have seen my married friends grappled with mortgage loans to purchase a bigger house for a family and childcare,” Kim said. “I want to enjoy my single life for another two to three years.”

Including Kim and his younger brother who also lives alone, the number of one-person households in Korea has significantly increased last year, representing the biggest share of all household types in the country for the first time, according to the 2015 population survey by Statistics Korea, which was released on Wednesday. The number of single-member households reached 5.2 million, accounting for the largest 27.2 percent of the total 19.11 million households last year, followed by two-member households with 26.1 percent, three-member households with 21.5 percent, four-member households with 18.8 percent, and five or more member households with 6.4 percent.

The latest family demographic is a stark contrast from decades ago. In 1990, one-person households made up only 9 percent of total households. The proportion of single-member households in Korea is now comparable to ones in the United States (28.0 percent) and the United Kingdom (28.5 percent), but it is still lower than Japan (32.7 percent).

Ha Bong-chae, director of registration-based census division at Statistics Korea, said that from 1990 to 2005, four-member households were the most common type of households in Korea. In 2010, two-member households accounted for the bulk for the first time before single-member households became the common type last year, the official added. Until 1985, five or more member households were most common in Korea.

Analysts note that the surge in the number of single-member households in Korea is attributed to the growing trend that people in their 20s and 30s are delaying marriage like the Kim bothers, and the rapidly aging society.

When looking into the age group of the single-member households, 18.3 percent are in their 30s, 17.0 percent in their 20s, and 17.5 percent in the 70s or older age group. By gender, a majority 23.5 percent of male homeowners are in their 30s while a majority 27.6 percent of female homeowners are in their 70s or older age group.

By region, Statistics Korea survey showed that Ongjin County in Incheon has the largest share of people who live alone, accounting for 46.3 percent of all households, followed by Gwanak District with 43.9 percent, and Hwacheon County in Gangwon with 43.2 percent. Ongjin and Hwacheon are home to a large number of senior citizens who live alone, while Gwanak District is a highly-sought area among single men and women where they are offered diverse studio apartment options.

Meanwhile, the latest Statistics Korea survey found that the country’s population has reached 51.07 million as of November 1, last year, up 2.7 percent from 49.71 million in 2010.

By Cho Si-young, Kim Gyu-sik

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]