The ratio of women-led households in South Korea will likely increase over the next few decades as many women are delaying marriage and population-aging continues to accelerate, a report showed Tuesday.

According to the report by Statistics Korea, the number of households led by female breadwinners stood at 4.81 million as of April of this year, or 26.8 percent of the total 17.95 million households.

The ratio is up from 25.7 percent in 2010 and 18.5 percent tallied in 2000, the report showed.

The statistics agency forecast that the ratio of women-led households will likely further increase to 30.8 percent in 2020 and 34 percent in 2030.

The predicted rise is attributable to a growing trend that many women delay marriage to participate in economic activities. Delayed marriage leaves more women to lead their own households.

“The forecast is based on a combination of many factors including delayed marriage and an aging population,” an official of the agency said. “Among others, delayed marriage and the aging population lead to households consisting of a single female member.”

The report showed that the average age of females’ first marriage was 29.1 last year, up from 26.5 tallied in 2000. The average age of men’s first marriage stood at 31.9.

Women aged 60 or older also made up the largest segment of the female population, the report showed. Of the country’s female population of 24.97 million, the eldest age group accounted for 18.7 percent, followed by 16.8 percent and 15.7 percent for those in their 40s and 30s, respectively.

South Korea’s total population has recently exceeded 50 million, with women accounting for 49.9 percent, according to the report. 

(Yonhap News)