In January 2025, the number of births in South Korea increased by 2,486 (11.6%) compared to the same month last year (January 2024), marking the seventh consecutive month of growth. This is the first time in a decade, since January 2015, that births have risen year-over-year, and it represents the highest growth rate since related statistics were first recorded in 1981.

According to the 'January 2025 Population Trends' report released by Statistics Korea on March 26, the number of births in January was 23,947, an 11.6% increase from the previous year.

Since July 2024, the monthly birth rate has consistently increased year-over-year, with double-digit growth recorded for four consecutive months: October (13.4%), November (14.3%), December (11.6%), and now January. The total fertility rate also rose to 0.88 children per woman, up by 0.08 from the same month last year.

Several factors have been cited as contributing to the rise in births. 

Delayed Marriages from the COVID-19 Era: Many couples who postponed marriage due to the pandemic have now wed.

Increase in Women in Their Early 30s: The number of women in their early 30s, a key childbearing demographic, has grown.

Changing Attitudes Toward Marriage and Childbirth: There has been a shift in perceptions toward marriage and childbirth compared to 2022.

A Statistics Korea official explained, “Since the second half of 2023, there has been an increase in marriages, coupled with demographic factors such as a rise in women in their early 30s. Additionally, attitudes toward marriage and childbirth improved compared to 2022.”

By region, birth rates increased in 14 provinces and metropolitan areas, including Seoul and Busan, while three regions, including Daejeon and North Gyeongsang Province, saw a decline.

Marriage, a key indicator of future births, also saw an increase. In January, 20,153 couples got married, marking a 0.7% rise (149 more marriages) compared to the previous year. Marriage rates have been on an upward trend for 10 consecutive months since April 2024.

However, the rate of increase slowed compared to previous months, where it had recorded double-digit growth for six months straight (July–December). This was attributed to the Lunar New Year holiday, which reduced the number of official registration days by four.

Meanwhile, the number of divorces in January fell 12.8% (1,017 fewer cases) year-over-year, totaling 6,922 cases.

A Statistics Korea official noted, “While the marriage growth rate appears to have sharply declined from December’s 28.1% and last January’s 11.6%, this is largely due to fewer registration days because of the Lunar New Year. When adjusted for this, the trend remains similar to previous years.”

Experts predict that the short-term recovery in birth rates will continue for now. However, they stress the need for long-term policies to address South Korea’s low birth rate.

Lee Sang Rim, a senior researcher at Seoul National University’s Population Policy Research Center, stated, “The increase in births will likely continue for one to two years, reaching levels similar to 2022 (0.78 children per woman), due to the delayed marriages from the COVID-19 period and the demographic structure with more women in their 30s.”

However, he emphasized that “rather than short-term solutions like financial incentives, policies must take a long-term perspective to address structural issues, such as high private education costs, population concentration in the Seoul metropolitan area, and industrial changes.”

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