Seoul: South Korea has recorded a small increase in its birthrate for the second consecutive year, raising cautious hopes that the country’s severe population decline may be slowing.
Official data show the fertility rate rose to about 0.80 children per woman in 2025, up from 0.75 in 2024 and the record low of 0.72 in 2023. The number of births per 1,000 people also increased slightly, marking a rare improvement after years of steady decline.
Experts say the rise is partly linked to a rebound in marriages following delays during the Covid pandemic. Marriage registrations rose sharply in 2024 and continued to increase in 2025, leading to more births since most children in South Korea are born within marriage.
Demographic factors have also played a role. Women born in the early and mid 1990s are now entering their early thirties, an age considered a peak period for childbirth. This population wave has temporarily boosted the number of births.
Government efforts to encourage families may also be contributing. Authorities have expanded childcare support, financial incentives for parents, housing assistance, and fertility treatment programs. Measures aimed at improving work life balance are also being promoted to make parenting more manageable.
Despite the improvement, experts warn that the country’s demographic crisis is far from resolved. The fertility rate remains well below the 2.1 level needed to maintain a stable population. Deaths continue to exceed births, meaning the overall population is still shrinking.
Young couples continue to face serious obstacles, including high housing costs, expensive education, job insecurity, and a demanding work culture. Many delay marriage and parenthood due to financial pressure and career concerns.
South Korea is also becoming a rapidly aging society, with a growing elderly population and a shrinking workforce that could strain economic growth and social welfare systems in the future.
The government is preparing long term strategies to support young families, improve childcare access, and make housing more affordable. Policymakers are also exploring ways to attract foreign workers to help support the labor force.
Demographers caution that the current increase may be temporary, as smaller generations will soon reach childbearing age. For now, the rise offers cautious optimism, but lasting recovery will depend on deeper social and economic changes that make family life more affordable and compatible with modern living.