South Korea Sees First Fertility Rate Increase in Nine Years

Births in South Korea rose by the largest margin in 14 years, signaling a potential shift in the country's demographic trajectory.

South Korea recorded a 10.1% year-on-year increase in births for September 2024, the largest monthly rise since January 2011.
The country's total fertility rate is projected to reach 0.74 for 2024, marking its first increase since 2015, though still far below the 2.1 replacement level.
Officials attribute the rise to a post-pandemic surge in marriages, which have increased for five consecutive months.
Government measures, including financial incentives, enhanced parental leave, and workplace reforms, aim to address the ongoing demographic crisis.
Despite the uptick in births, South Korea's population is expected to continue declining as deaths outpace births, with long-term projections forecasting significant population shrinkage by 2072.