{"id":2205775,"date":"2024-07-12T12:00:42","date_gmt":"2024-07-12T03:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/?p=2205775"},"modified":"2024-07-15T19:47:57","modified_gmt":"2024-07-15T10:47:57","slug":"tying-the-knot-or-not-south-koreas-trend-of-delayed-marriage-registration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koreapro.org\/2024\/07\/tying-the-knot-or-not-south-koreas-trend-of-delayed-marriage-registration\/","title":{"rendered":"Tying the knot or not: South Korea\u2019s trend of delayed marriage registration"},"content":{"rendered":"
In South Korea, a growing number of couples are choosing to delay their official marriage registration, prioritizing economic benefits over legal formalities. Lee Jae-yeon, a 39-year-old Seoul resident, exemplifies this trend.<\/span><\/p>\n Lee and her partner celebrated their love with a grand wedding ceremony in 2019, inviting hundreds of guests to share in their joy. Three years later, they welcomed a baby girl into their lives. To the world, they are a family of three, but on paper, Lee remains single.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMarriage registration is a mere formality,\u201d Lee told <\/span>Korea Pro<\/span><\/i>. \u201cNothing should stand in the way of having a higher chance for better housing. People know we are married and recognize us as our daughter\u2019s parents, and that is enough.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Lee\u2019s decision to remain officially single allows her to maintain eligibility for a housing subscription available to first-time property buyers. If she were to legally marry her partner, who already owns an apartment, they would be assessed jointly as a married couple, disqualifying her from this benefit.<\/span><\/p>\n The housing subscription system in South Korea aims to help first-time homebuyers and low-income families acquire affordable housing through a lottery. It prioritizes applicants based on family size, income and homeownership status, enabling them to purchase newly constructed apartments at below-market rates.<\/span><\/p>\n With fierce competition among aspiring homeowners for a limited number of units, Lee sees the housing subscription as a crucial investment opportunity, especially since properties obtained through this scheme are often significantly cheaper than market prices.<\/span><\/p>\n