Hypergamy Among South Korean Women and Its Implications for the Marriage Rate

This study aims to examine how income-based hypergamy among South Korean women affects the marriage rate. In a society that continues to practice income hypergamy because of its traditional gender roles, a rise in women’s economic status results in a shortage of marriageable men. This study proposes a “male marriageable with higher income pool index,” or MHPI, calculated by dividing the number of males who earn more than a potential spouse by the number of females in the same region. Analyses based on the Regional Employment Survey data (2008 ~ 2018) of 16 regions and 11 years show that the MHPI is positively related to the marriage rate. Further, the effect of MHPI on the marriage rate is influenced by local culture and, notably, has not weakened in recent years. These findings imply that a larger pool of men who earn more than a woman is associated with more marital unions among South Koreans, and this relationship has persisted in recent years. However, the industry composition in South Korea is likely to change favorably toward women’s economic power, which is incompatible with hypergamy. This trend would make it difficult to reverse the decline in marriage rates in the near future unless the tendency for income hypergamy substantially weakens.