In 2024, South Korea recorded a slight increase in its birthrate, rising to 4.7 births per 1,000 women, with the overall fertility rate also climbing marginally from 0.73 to 0.75. This marks the first year since 2015 that the birthrate has risen rather than declined, when it was notably at 1.4.
Statistics Korea’s official, Park Hyun-jung, attributed this increase in birthrates to a notable rise in marriages post-COVID-19 pandemic, with a 14.9% surge in marital ceremonies recorded—the highest increase since data collection began in 1970. The evolving societal perspectives on marriage and childbirth have also contributed to this trend, as marriage remains a vital precursor for childbirth within South Korean culture.
Despite these positive developments, South Korea continues to grapple with one of the lowest birthrates globally. Notably, the capital city Seoul exhibits the bleakest figures, plummeting to 0.58. Comparatively, countries like Taiwan, Singapore, and Ukraine also report fertility rates below 1.3.
Efforts by the South Korean government to encourage higher birthrates have included financial incentives aimed at housing and childcare. Such initiatives aim to address the ongoing demographic challenges, including a significant population decline, which has persisted for five years, with 2024 experiencing 120,000 more deaths than births.
Particularly in Busan, a local government initiative is offering cash incentives to stimulate marriages and, by extension, potential births. South Korea needs a fertility rate of 2.1 for stable population maintenance without reliance on immigration, a figure that highlights the ongoing demographic concerns and the urgent nature of the situation.
President Yoon Suk Yeol has labelled the low birthrate and shrinking population as a “national emergency,” reflecting the gravity of the demographic challenges the nation faces. In contrast, Australia’s birthrate was recorded at 1.6 births per woman in 2023, signalling a more stable demographic trend in comparison to South Korea.