South Korea Sees First Fertility Rate Increase In Nine Years

 

South Korea’s fertility rate rose in 2024 for the first time in nearly a decade, driven by an increase in marriages, according to preliminary data released on Wednesday. The uptick offers a glimmer of hope that the nation’s demographic crisis may be easing.

The country’s fertility rate—representing the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime—stood at 0.75 in 2024, according to Statistics Korea. This marks an improvement from the record-low 0.72 in 2023, which had made South Korea the country with the lowest birth rate in the world.

Since 2018, South Korea has been the only member of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) with a fertility rate below 1. The long-term decline has raised serious concerns about labor shortages, economic stagnation, and the sustainability of the country’s welfare system.

Government Efforts and Changing Social Attitudes

In response to the declining birthrate, the government has introduced various policies aimed at encouraging marriage and family growth. These efforts gained urgency after former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a “national demographic crisis” and proposed the creation of a dedicated ministry to address the issue.

“There has been a shift in social attitudes, with more positive views on marriage and childbearing,” said Park Hyun-jung, an official at Statistics Korea. Park also noted that an increase in people reaching their early 30s, along with pandemic-related delays in marriage and childbirth, contributed to the rise in births.

While it is difficult to quantify how much each factor influenced the birthrate increase, officials believe these elements have reinforced one another.

Marriage Trends Driving Birth Rate Growth

Marriages, a key indicator of future births, surged by 14.9% in 2024—the largest increase since record-keeping began in 1970. This follows a smaller 1.0% rise in 2023, attributed to a post-pandemic recovery.

In South Korea, marriage is closely linked to childbirth, with most couples choosing to have children within one to two years after tying the knot.

Despite the national rise in births, the fertility rate remains critically low in urban areas. The capital city, Seoul, recorded the lowest birthrate in the country at just 0.58.

Population Decline Continues

Although the fertility rate saw a slight increase, South Korea’s population continued to shrink overall. In 2023, the number of deaths exceeded births by 120,000, marking the fifth consecutive year of natural population decline. The administrative city of Sejong was the only major region to experience population growth.

South Korea’s total population, which peaked at 51.83 million in 2020, is projected to decline to 36.22 million by 2072, according to the latest government estimates.

As the country grapples with its demographic challenges, experts emphasize the need for sustained policies that support working parents, improve housing affordability, and create a family-friendly environment to encourage further growth in birth rates.