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More than six out of 10 young Koreans believe that having children after marriage is "not necessary," as concerns mount over the country's declining birthrate.

According to a report, released Wednesday by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, 60.1 percent of respondents, aged between 13 and 24, said they no longer see a child as an essential component of marriage.

Among young people, skepticism about the institution of marriage is rising.

Asked whether they believe getting married is necessary in life, only 38.5 percent agreed, a slight decrease from 39.1 percent three years prior.

In the eyes of policymakers, the result reflects the concerning trend in a country that has been struggling to boost the number of babies for years. At 0.72, Korea's fertility rate ― the average number of children a woman has during her lifetime ― was the world's lowest in 2023.

Experts at Statistics Korea, a government agency responsible for managing national statistics, projected that the number would fall even further below the 0.7 mark this year, which eventually will start to impact many established systems in society from education to the national pension.

The poll, however, suggests that the survey respondents' unconventional views on marriage and children do not necessarily reflect their skepticism about their life or future.

Asked about their overall life quality, 29.6 percent said it "changed positively," a jump from 13.4 percent who said so during the previous survey in 2020.

Also, when asked whether they think Korean society is fair, 54.7 percent agreed with the statement, an increase of 7.1 percent.