Overview

• Statistics Korea reported 19,953 births in June, up 9.4 percent year over year, the fastest on-year June rise since records began in 1981, with the monthly total fertility rate at 0.76.
• Births increased 7.4 percent in the first half to 126,001 and 7.3 percent in the second quarter, while marriages rose 9.1 percent in June for a 15th straight month of gains.
• NABO projects about 304,000 expected births in 2025, roughly 21,000 more than 2024, with NHIS pregnancy-voucher registrations exceeding 304,000 in May and an estimated 82 percent conversion to live births.
• The upturn is led by women aged 30 to 34 and 35 to 39, and has been stronger among salaried workers, whose fertility rate outpaced that of self-employed and medical-aid groups.
• Despite rising births, deaths totaled 27,270 in June, leaving a natural population decline of 7,317, while births outside marriage reached a record 5.8 percent of 2024 births.