Female deficit and the marriage market in Korea

Abstract

Selective abortion of female embryos causes abnormal sex ratios at birth that will result in imbalances on the marriage market. However, it is well-known that varying cohort size in the frame of different mean ages at marriage for males and females also causes imbalances. In the case of Korea, both phenomenons are present: SRB of 115 in 1990-1995 and rapid fertility decline from the early 1960s, with TFR fluctuating below replacement level since 1983 and reaching 1.16 in 2004. This note assesses the relative roles of SRB and cohort size on the marriage market and the adjustments that can happen thru age gap between spouses.

Keywords

• age gap between spouses
• cohort-size
• female deficit
• marriage market
• Republic of Korea
• sex ratio at birth
• sex-imbalances