SEOUL: South Korea recorded its highest birth rate growth in over four decades during the first five months of 2025, offering a rare positive sign in the country’s ongoing demographic crisis.
According to Statistics Korea, the number of newborns from January to May reached 106,048 — a 6.9 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. This marks the fastest growth rate since data collection began in 1981.
The rebound follows the first annual increase in births in more than a decade. In 2024, South Korea recorded 238,300 newborns — up 3.6 per cent or 8,300 from the year before. The rise is largely attributed to a 14.8 per cent year-on-year surge in marriages, particularly among women in their early 30s. “In South Korea, there is a strong correlation between marriage and childbirth,” said Kang Hyun-young from Statistics Korea.
April showed especially strong growth, with 20,717 babies born — an 8.7 per cent rise year-on-year. These figures contrast sharply with early 2024, when births for the same five-month period declined by 2.7 per cent.
Despite the uptick, the fertility rate — the average number of children a woman is expected to have — remains low at 0.75 as of May. A fertility rate of 2.1 is needed to sustain the current population of 51 million. Projections suggest the population could shrink to 26.8 million by 2100 if trends persist.
South Korea has invested billions in efforts to reverse its declining birth rate, offering cash subsidies, babysitting services, and support for infertility treatments. However, challenges remain, including high living costs, a competitive job market, and the heavy burden on working mothers to juggle careers and domestic duties.
Japan, facing similar issues and limited immigration, is also struggling with a rapidly aging population and looming labour shortages. – AFP
