Divorce rate of older couples hits new high

Divorce rate of older couples hits new high 

More and more middle aged and elderly couples are choosing to split up, according to the Supreme Court.

Statistics released by the court Wednesday showed that among 114,284 couples who separated in 2011, those married for more than 20 years accounted for 28,299 of them, or 24.8 percent, hitting a record high.

The divorce rate of older couples has been rising, breaking records almost every year. The figure was 19.1 percent in 2006, 20.1 percent in 2007, 23.1 percent in 2008, 22.8 percent in 2009 and 23.8 percent in 2010.

Although newly-wed couples married for less than four years still take up the largest share, the gap between the newly-weds and older couples has been narrowing.

The divorce rate for the recently married stood at 26.2 percent in 2007, 28.5 percent in 2008, 27.2 percent in 2009, 27 percent in 2010 and 26.8 percent in 2011.

The most-often cited reason for separation was differences in personality, followed by financial reasons, infidelity and family discord.

Data also showed couples without underage children took up 47.2 percent of the total divorce cases last year. The comparable figures were 41.1 percent in 2007, 45.7 percent in 2008, 44.5 percent in 2009, and 46 percent in 2010.

Separated couples with one child accounted for 25.5 percent, those with two children 23.4 percent and those with three or more took up a mere 3.9 percent last year.

This has been attributed to the rising number of middle-aged couples who get divorced after their children have grown up. The declining birthrate was also cited as a factor.   <The Korea Times/Kim Bo-eun>

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