“Last year, the proportion of multicultural children born in Jeju was 8.5%, a record high”

Last year, 8 out of 100 children born in Jeju were children of multicultural families.

According to the ‘2020 Multicultural Population Dynamics’ published by the National Statistical Office on the 8th, the number of births born to multicultural families in the province last year was 338, down 3.4% (12 people) from the previous year.

However, as the total number of births decreased even more, the proportion of multicultural children born in the province last year (3989 children) was 8.5%, the highest since statistics began to be compiled in 2008.

In addition, the proportion of multicultural children born last year in the province exceeded the national average (6.0%), showing the highest proportion.

The number of multicultural children born in the province, which was 207 in 2008, is increasing every year, with the highest at 353 in 2015 and 2018, respectively.

However, as the number of multicultural marriages fell sharply last year, the decrease in the number of multicultural children is expected to increase from next year.

Multicultural marriages have decreased across the country due to the difficulty in moving between countries due to the corona virus.

The number of multicultural marriages in the province last year was 266, a decrease of 40.6% (182) compared to the previous year due to the impact of COVID-19. It accounted for 8.8% of the total number of marriages (3024) last year, the lowest in 2015 (8.2%) since related statistics were compiled.

In addition, the number of multicultural divorces in 2020 was 168, up 1.2% (2) from the previous year. Multicultural divorces account for 9.5% of all divorces (1771 cases).

Reporter Lee Jieun