South Korea Pays Citizens US$14,000 to Marry in Bid to Boost Birth Rates
South Korea Pays Citizens US$14,000 to Marry in Bid to Boost Birth Rates – South Korea has introduced an aggressive incentive-based strategy to confront its deepening birth-rate crisis, offering substantial financial rewards to encourage marriage and family formation.
Facing one of the lowest fertility rates in the world, the East Asian nation is now providing cash incentives that cover nearly every stage of courtship and marriage — from first dates and engagement to weddings and honeymoons.
In some districts, couples can receive up to US$14,700 simply for getting married through government-organised matchmaking programmes.
According to reports, local governments are also offering financial support for blind dates, with some participants receiving about US$350 to attend matchmaking events.
Married couples may further qualify for housing support of up to US$20,000, aimed at easing the financial burden of starting a family.
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“This is one component of our population policy to counter the crisis of low birth rates and regional decline,” a district official was quoted by the South China Morning Post as saying.
The measures build on earlier policies that focused primarily on childbirth subsidies, which were introduced amid growing concerns over regional depopulation and an ageing population.
Authorities now believe that encouraging marriage itself is a necessary step toward reversing demographic decline.
South Korea currently holds the lowest birth rate globally.
Although the country recorded a slight improvement in 2024, with the fertility rate rising to 0.75 from 0.72 in 2023, experts say the figure remains far below the replacement level required to sustain population growth.
Government officials have acknowledged that the incentives are not merely symbolic but a desperate response to a national emergency, as shrinking population numbers threaten economic stability, labour supply, and long-term social welfare systems.
