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Korean births increase for 11th straight month, marriages highest in six years

Published: 23 Jul. 2025, 17:33 Updated: 23 Jul. 2025, 18:47

Nurses look after newborn babies at a hospital in Incheon on Feb. 26. [YONHAP]

Korea may be seeing the first glimmers of a demographic turnaround, with births and marriages having risen in tandem for nearly a year — a milestone not seen since the early 1990s.

The number of births in Korea increased for the 11th consecutive month in May, raising hopes of a possible rebound in the country’s persistently low birthrate. Marriages also rose for a record 14 months in a row.

According to data released Wednesday by Statistics Korea, 20,309 babies were born in May, up 3.8 percent from the same month of last year. It marks the first time since the 18-month streak from March 2010 to August 2011 that births have risen year-over-year for such a long stretch.

From January to May of this year, 106,048 babies were born, a 6.9 percent increase from the same period of last year — the highest growth rate since related data collection began in 1981. However, the statistical jump is partly due to the fact that number of births last year was particularly low; births during this five-month period of 2024 were the third-lowest on record.

Still, some analysts suggest the country's prolonged ultralow birthrate may be coming to an end. Monthly births have consistently remained above 20,000 this year — 23,947 in January, 20,035 in February, 21,041 in March, 20,717 in April and above 20,000 again in May.

By region, births rose in 12 provinces and major cities including Seoul and Daegu, but fell in five areas, including Busan and Daejeon. Firstborns accounted for 61.9 percent of all births, up 1.2 percentage points from the previous year. Second children made up 31.8 percent and third or later children accounted for 6.3 percent, both marking slight declines.

Marriage numbers, which are closely linked to future birth trends, also continued to rise. In May, there were 21,761 marriages, up 4 percent from a year earlier — the highest for the month of May since 2019.

Marriages have increased every month since April 2024. After falling below 20,000 per month during the Covid-19 pandemic, monthly marriages have remained in the 20,000s since May 2024, returning to pre-pandemic levels by May this year.

Engaged couples look at wedding dresses during a wedding exposition at Coex in southern Seoul on July 6. [NEWS1]

It is the first time since March 1991 to December 1992 — a 22-month span — that both marriages and births have risen together for 11 consecutive months, according to Statistics Korea.

“The rise in births appears to be driven by an increase in marriages and a growing population of women in their early 30s — the peak childbearing age,” said Park Hyun-jung, head of population trends at Statistics Korea. “Expanded public perception of childbirth and various support policies by the central and local governments have also played a role.”

Statistics Korea noted that the children of Korea’s second baby boomers, who are now in their early 30s, are contributing to the rise in marriages and births. As of June, the number of women aged 30 to 34 stood at around 1.66 million, up 9 percent from 1.52 million in June 2020.

However, the positive momentum remains insufficient to reverse the country’s population decline, where deaths outnumber births. In May, 28,510 people died, roughly the same as the previous year. Even with the rise in births, Korea recorded a natural population decline of 8,202 that month. The cumulative natural decrease from January to May this year stands at 52,143.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM YEON-JOO [[email protected]]