A recent survey shows that more than half of Koreans in their 20s are fine with not having children after getting married.

According to a report released by the Korea Development Institute on Monday, the percentage of people in their 20s who responded they are okay with not having children after tying the knot increased to 52-point-four in 2020, a substantial increase of over 23 percentage points from the same survey conducted in 2015.

Only 28-point-three percent of those surveyed in all age groups said they plan to have children after marriage, up seven percentage points from five years earlier.

The findings are widely perceived to be a reflection of changing social norms among young Koreans who may not consider having children after marriage to be obligatory. Analysts have also pointed to high child-rearing costs as a factor.

According to a report by U.S. investment bank Jefferies Financial Group, South Korea's ratio of child-rearing costs to per-capita gross domestic product ranks near the top globally.