Thai Women Become South Korean Men’s Third-Largest Group of Foreign Brides in 2025
Thai Women Rank Third Among Foreign Brides in South Korea
Thai women were the third-largest group of foreign brides marrying South Korean men in 2025, highlighting the continued presence of international marriages in South Korean society.
According to figures from South Korea’s Ministry of Data and Statistics, approximately 1,400 Thai women married South Korean men during the year. They represented 9.2% of the roughly 15,300 marriages between South Korean men and foreign women.
The figures were reported by Yonhap News Agency, citing government statistics.
Vietnamese women ranked first, accounting for 25.3% of foreign brides, while Chinese women came second with 15.1%. Thai women followed in third place.
The data offers a snapshot of the different national backgrounds represented in South Korea’s international marriages.
Vietnam and China Lead the List of Foreign Brides
The 2025 statistics show that Vietnamese and Chinese women accounted for the largest shares of foreign women marrying South Korean men.
The reported breakdown was:
Vietnamese women: 25.3%
Chinese women: 15.1%
Thai women: 9.2%
These figures show the relative shares of the foreign brides included in the reported statistics. They do not represent the percentage of all marriages in South Korea.
The presence of women from different countries reflects the international dimension of marriage in South Korea. However, the figures alone do not explain why couples choose to marry across national borders or what their individual experiences are like.
South Korea Recorded More Than 21,000 Multicultural Marriages
South Korea registered 21,399 multicultural marriages in 2025, according to the figures cited by the Bangkok Post.
This represented a slight decrease of 0.2% compared with the previous year.
The total includes marriages involving South Korean citizens and foreign nationals, as well as unions involving naturalized South Korean citizens.
Marriages between South Korean men and foreign women accounted for 71.4% of all multicultural unions. Marriages involving South Korean women and foreign men represented 18.9%.
The remaining 9.7% involved naturalized South Korean citizens.
These categories illustrate that multicultural marriage in South Korea includes several different family arrangements, rather than only marriages between Korean men and foreign women.
Age Differences in Multicultural Marriages
The government statistics also highlighted differences in the average ages of husbands and wives in multicultural marriages.
The average age at first marriage was:
Husbands: 37.1 years
Wives: 29.7 years
Husbands were older than their wives in 75.2% of multicultural marriages. In addition, an age difference of at least 10 years was recorded in 36.1% of these unions.
Although these figures show that age gaps are relatively common in the reported data, they do not explain the reasons behind individual couples’ decisions. Each relationship has its own circumstances, and national statistics should not be used to make assumptions about every international couple.
What Do These Figures Tell Us About International Marriage in South Korea?
The 2025 figures demonstrate that international marriage remains a visible part of South Korea’s changing social landscape.
Thai women’s position as the third-largest group of foreign brides is particularly notable because it places Thailand among the leading countries represented in marriages between South Korean men and foreign women.
At the same time, the overall number of multicultural marriages declined slightly compared with 2024. This suggests that the trend should be understood through several indicators, including the number of marriages, the national backgrounds of spouses, and the different types of multicultural unions.
The statistics provide useful information about marriage patterns, but they do not establish the reasons behind these trends. Factors such as personal relationships, migration, work, education and family circumstances would require separate research.
Understanding the Bigger Picture
International marriages connect people from different countries, cultures and family backgrounds. They can also involve practical considerations such as language, immigration procedures, legal recognition of marriage, and adapting to life in a different country.
For couples planning an international marriage, understanding the legal requirements in both countries is important. Official government guidance is a more reliable source for visa applications, marriage registration and residency procedures than general assumptions based on statistical reports.
South Korea’s 2025 data provides a useful starting point for understanding the country's multicultural marriage patterns. Future statistics will help show whether the number and national composition of these marriages continue to change.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What rank did Thai women hold among foreign brides in South Korea in 2025?
Thai women ranked third, representing 9.2% of foreign women who married South Korean men.
2. How many Thai women married South Korean men in 2025?
Approximately 1,400 Thai women married South Korean men in 2025, according to the reported government statistics.
3. Which nationalities ranked first and second?
Vietnamese women ranked first at 25.3%, followed by Chinese women at 15.1%.
4. How many multicultural marriages were registered in South Korea in 2025?
South Korea recorded 21,399 multicultural marriages in 2025, a decrease of 0.2% from the previous year.
5. What was the average age at first marriage?
The reported average was 37.1 years for husbands and 29.7 years for wives.
6. Did most husbands in multicultural marriages have older ages than their wives?
Yes. Husbands were older than their wives in 75.2% of the reported multicultural marriages. An age gap of at least 10 years was recorded in 36.1% of all such unions.
Editorial Note
This article is an independently rewritten informational report based on statistics and information supplied in the source material, including reporting attributed to Yonhap News Agency and the Bangkok Post. Figures are presented as reported and have not been independently re-verified for this article. The statistics describe population-level patterns and should not be interpreted as representing every Thai-South Korean couple.
Suggested Labels: South Korea, Thailand, International Marriage, Thai Women, Multicultural Families, Marriage Statistics, Asia News
Featured Image Alt Text: A couple participates in a multicultural wedding ceremony in South Korea.
Image Recommendation: Use a properly licensed photograph of a multicultural wedding ceremony in South Korea. Avoid reusing the original AFP photograph unless you have permission or a valid license.
0 Comments