62% of women in their 20s and 30s use contraception during sex, but fewer than 40% rely on proven methods

Contraceptive use among women in their 20s and 30s in South Korea has risen sharply over the past three years. However, the share using scientifically proven modern methods remains below 40 percent, pointing to a need for stronger education and policy support to improve contraceptive effectiveness, according to a new report.

The findings come from a report titled "Current Status and Implications of Contraceptive Use Among Korean Women," published in the July 2026 issue of the Health and Welfare Forum by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs. Among women aged 19 to 39 who reported having had sex in the past year, 62.0 percent said they always used contraception in 2025 — up 9.8 percentage points from 52.2 percent in 2022.

Contraceptive use among adolescents also rose sharply, climbing from 54.6 percent in 2022 to 67.3 percent. By contrast, the rate stood at just 26.2 percent among middle-aged adults between 40 and 64, and 3.6 percent among those 65 and older, revealing a stark generational divide. Some 65.1 percent of middle-aged respondents and 94.6 percent of older adults said they never use contraception.

The reasons for not using contraception — or using it only occasionally — also varied by age group, with multiple responses allowed. Young adults most commonly cited a belief that pregnancy was unlikely (42.1 percent), a desire to become pregnant (40.6 percent), and discomfort with contraceptive devices (36.5 percent). Among middle-aged and older respondents, the leading reasons were menopause or infertility making contraception unnecessary (63.4 percent) and a belief that pregnancy was unlikely (37.2 percent). Among adolescents, 76.5 percent said their partner had not prepared a contraceptive device, highlighting a strong tendency to rely on partners for contraceptive readiness.

Preferred contraceptive methods also differed across age groups. Adolescents and young adults were more likely to use oral contraceptives and emergency contraception, while middle-aged adults showed higher rates of intrauterine device use and permanent contraceptive procedures. Condoms were the most common method reported for partners across all age groups, and vasectomy was cited by 16 percent of middle-aged respondents — higher than in other age groups.

Despite the overall increase in contraceptive use, the share relying on modern, evidence-based methods remained low. Excluding approaches such as the rhythm method and withdrawal, the rate of modern contraceptive use across all age groups stood at 37 to 38 percent in 2025 — an improvement from 2022, but still below 40 percent, suggesting a gap between how often women use contraception and how effectively they do so.

At the same time, the report found a growing trend of women taking a more active role in contraceptive decision-making. While roughly half of respondents across all age groups said they make the decision jointly with their partner, the share who said they decide on their own rose across all age groups compared with 2022. Among young adults, that figure increased from 26.4 percent in 2022 to 34.1 percent in 2025, and among middle-aged adults it nearly doubled, rising from 17.1 percent to 34.4 percent.

The proportion of women who had been unable to use their preferred contraceptive method declined overall, but among adolescents the share who said they had wanted to use a condom but could not rose from 22.7 percent to 34.6 percent, underscoring the need for more comprehensive sex education.

The report also flagged a broader challenge: many women view contraception solely as a means of preventing pregnancy, rather than as a tool that also covers protection against sexually transmitted infections and overall sexual health management. The report said accurate information and policy support should be strengthened across all life stages to address this gap.