South Korea’s birth rate has increased for the first time in nine years, with 238,300 babies born in 2024, a 3.6% rise from the previous year. The fertility rate also grew to 0.75, up from 0.72 in 2023.
The increase is attributed to government incentives and a marriage boom following the COVID-19 pandemic, with 222,422 couples marrying in 2024, the highest number since 1996. Despite this, South Korea’s birth rate remains the lowest in the world, with a fertility rate half the average of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.