Particle.news
Download on the App Store
4 ARTICLES
·
5mo ago

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.

Image
Image
A South Korean woman takes a photo of her baby sitting on a pushchair during their family picnic in a downtown park in Seoul on April 13, 2009. After years of promoting family planning in the crowded nation of 48.6 million, South Korea in recent years has become increasingly alarmed at the prospect of an ageing society -- with a huge pensions bill and too few workers to sustain economic growth. (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • 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.