Statistics Korea’s report released on October 23 highlighted that August 2024 saw 20,098 births, a 5.9% increase compared to August 2023. The August birth rate saw its highest increase since 2010 (6.1%), marking a 14-year peak for the month of August.

In August, over 20,000 babies were born in South Korea, marking the second consecutive month with births surpassing the 20,000 mark. This consistent growth puts the total number of births for 2024 on track to exceed 2023’s figure of 230,028.

Earlier this year, the number of births declined for three consecutive months in the first quarter. However, things began to shift in the following months. April saw a modest increase of 2.8%, followed by a 2.7% rise in May. Although the numbers dipped slightly in June with a 1.8% decrease, births rebounded strongly in July with a 7.9% increase and continued to grow in August, rising by 5.9%.

Experts attribute the rise in births since July to a surge in marriages after the COVID-19 pandemic began to subside in the second half of 2022. Many couples who married during that time are now having their first child, about two years into their marriage.

From January to August this year, 158,011 babies were born, which is 598 fewer (0.4%) than the 158,609 births during the same period last year. However, with the recent upward trend and expectations for increased birth numbers in September and October, the total number of births this year is projected to surpass last year’s figures.

In August, 17,527 marriages were recorded, a 20% increase from the same month last year, marking five consecutive months of growth in marriage rates. From January to August this year, the total number of marriages reached 146,403, a 12.2% increase (15,945 more marriages) compared to the same period last year. This increase is primarily fueled by marriages among individuals in their early 30s—a generation that, during their own birth years, experienced record-high birth rates of up to 700,000 annually.

Analysts believe that the increase in marriages among people in their early 30s, combined with new policies aimed at reducing the "downside" of marriages has contributed to this trend. These policies are designed to ease disadvantages previously imposed on married couples. Government policies, such as relaxed income requirements for newlyweds seeking special housing and new housing offers for parents with newborns, which were introduced in March, are also believed to have had a positive effect.

As births continued to rise in July and August, there is growing hope that South Korea’s historically low fertility rate may see the first increase for the first time in nine years. The recovery in marriage rates, particularly among those in their early 30s, has fueled optimism. However, experts caution that this increase could be temporary and stress the importance of consistent policies to address the nation's low birth rate.

2024 may mark the first year-on-year increase in births since 2015. Yoo Hye Mi, Chief Secretary for Low Birthrate Countermeasures at the Presidential Office, expressed optimism in a broadcast interview, saying, "We are hopeful that we’ve reached the lowest point in birthrates and are starting to see a rebound from now on."

Statistics Korea projects that the total fertility rate for this year will be in the low to mid 0.7 range, higher than the earlier projection of 0.68. There is even a possibility that this year’s fertility rate could surpass 2023’s rate of 0.72. However, experts caution against reading too much into the month-to-month fluctuations in birth numbers, emphasizing the need for consistent and reliable low birthrate policies. Lee Sang Rim, a senior researcher at the Population Policy Research Center at Seoul National University, commented, "It’s difficult to say that this rise in births is the result of low birthrate policies. The government must continue to implement policies that build trust among young people."

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