Trends and Socio-Economic Factors Impacting on Married Couples' Childlessness Among Korean Provinces : 1990~2010

Abstract

This study aims to describe childlessness trends and examine the factors impacting on the childlessness of married couples among Korean provinces between 1990 and 2010. The results are as follows: There have been differences in childlessness rates among provinces and over time as well. Furthermore, social development, transportation, women's status, and economic development have statistically significant positive impacts on ASMCR. It turns out that age-specific marital childlessness rate is rather accurate measurement than general marital childlessness rate in terms of exploring the factors influencing on the childlessness among Korean provinces. Korea's government policy to aid the married couples who are suffering from in-fecundity is strongly recommended to maintain its policy and extend its subjects in order to increase married couples' fertility rate. Furthermore, campaigns to change married couples' recognition and attitudes from unfavorable against childbearing to favorable toward childbearing so that the married couples would be willing to have childbearing in terms of fertility rate increase.