S. Korea logs fastest growth of births for June ever: data
SEOUL, Aug. 27 (Yonhap) -- The number of babies born in South Korea rose at the fastest pace on record in June, government data showed Wednesday, a positive sign for a country struggling with an ultralow birth rate.
A total of 19,953 babies were born in June, up 9.4 percent from a year earlier, according to data compiled by Statistics Korea.
It marked the steepest on-year increase for any June since 1981 when the agency began compiling relevant data.
June also marked the 12th consecutive month of on-year growth, though the monthly number of newborns fell below the 20,000 mark for the first time in three months.
The country's total fertility rate, the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, went up by 0.06 from a year earlier to 0.76 in June on the back of increased childbirths among women aged 35-39.
In the second quarter, the number of newborns rose 7.3 percent on-year to 60,979, also marking the highest growth rate for any second quarter since 1981.
During the first half of 2025, South Korea recorded a 7.4 percent rise in births compared to a year earlier, the highest first-half growth rate on record, the data showed.
"The uptrend was attributable to a continued rise in marriages since the first quarter of last year, an increase in the population of women in their 30s and a more positive perception of childbirth, among other factors," agency official Park Hyun-jeong said.
The number of marriages in June rose 9.1 percent from a year earlier to 18,487, marking the 15th consecutive month of on-year growth.
It was the largest on-year increase for any June since 2015 and the highest growth rate since 2010, the data showed.
In South Korea, where childbirth outside of marriage remains rare, an increase in marriages tends to precede a rise in births.
The number of divorces in June dropped 6 percent on-year to 6,777.
During the first six months of this year, marriages increased 7.1 percent on-year to 117,873, the highest first-half figure since 2019, the data showed.
South Korea has long grappled with a chronically low birth rate as many young people opt to delay or forgo marriage and parenthood amid economic pressures and changing social values.
In response, the government has come up with a series of incentives, including marriage grants and child care subsidies, in an effort to encourage childbirth.
In a positive shift, 2024 marked the first year in nine years that the annual number of births increased, buoyed by a post-pandemic rise in marriages, shifting societal attitudes and demographic shifts.
Despite the increase in the number of births, the population continues to decline naturally as the number of deaths has been on a constant rise.
The number of deaths gained 1.5 percent on-year to 27,270 in June, resulting in a natural population decline of 7,317 for the month.
South Korea has reported more deaths than births every quarter since the fourth quarter of 2019.
The number of deaths in the second quarter grew 0.7 percent on-year to stand at 84,565, and the population accordingly declined by 23,586 during the cited period, the data showed.
graceoh@yna.co.kr
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