Korean Men to Run Short of Brides Soon

Korea is forecast to experience an acute shortage of women who are willing to marry its men a decade or so from now.

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Statistics Korea analyzed census data to forecast that men between 28 and 35 will have severe trouble finding any brides between 26 and 33 by the year 2028.

The reason is that there will be 120 to 123 men for every 100 women in prime marrying age due to rampant abortions of female fetuses and a preference for male heirs until quite recently. That means one in six Korean men will not be able to find a bride at home.

In 2029, when men born between 1994 and 2001 reach their prime marrying age, there will be 530,000 more men than women, hoping in vain to tie the knot.

Normally the male-to-female ratio should be close to 1:1. Worldwide about 104 to 107 boys are born for every 100 girls, but that tends to even out because baby boys have a higher mortality rate.

But in the Year of the Tiger 1998, the Year of the Dragon 2000 and the Year of the Horse 2002, which are traditionally thought auspicious for male children, 110 boys were born here for every 100 girls.

Already this year is seeing a mini-drought, as the ratio of men born between 1981 and 1988 and women born between 1983 and 1990 stands at 117 to 100.

At matchmaking agency Duo, the proportion of male clients rose from 41 percent in 2010 to 52 percent last year, testimony that it is no longer spinsters who are desperate to get married but bachelors.