Sense of parental responsibility for adult children weakening rapidly: poll

SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- A growing percentage of South Koreans are negative about parental responsibility for their children's wedding expenses and post-marriage livelihoods, a report said Wednesday.

The report was jointly written by the University of Seoul and the Korean Women's Development Institute on the basis of public surveys conducted in 2010, 2015 and 2020 on family perceptions. Last year's survey polled 22,173 people aged 12 and over.

The percentage of poll respondents who disagree with parents' responsibility for their children's wedding preparation expenses jumped from 18.8 percent in 2010 to 33.6 percent in 2015 and 46 percent in 2020, the report said.

Likewise, the percentage of disagreement with parents' responsibility to take care of their married children's livelihoods also rose from 22.3 percent in 2010 to 42.5 percent in 2015 and 60.6 percent last year, it noted.

The report said the negative attitude toward parents' responsibility for their children's wedding expenses and post-marriage livelihoods showed a particularly steep increase among young people.

"The higher the education level and the higher the household income, the higher the negative attitude on the matter was," said the report.

It explained the public attitudes toward parents' responsibility to support adult children have been becoming increasingly negative amid a tendency to emphasize intergenerational independence.

The report will be presented to a seminar to be jointly organized by the women's policy think tank and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family in Seoul on Thursday.

ycm@yna.co.kr
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