The country’s total fertility rate — the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime — rose to 0.75 from 0.72 the previous year, marking the first uptick since 2015.
The modest rebound follows years of decline, with births falling from 438,420 in 2015 to a record low of 230,028 in 2023, intensifying concerns about the nation’s demographic sustainability.
Demographic shifts, rather than policy measures, appear to be driving the increase, experts say, pointing to the maturation of children born during the early 1990s’ baby boom, when annual births exceeded 700,000.
However, the outlook remains challenging.
The cohort effect is expected to be temporary, as younger generations continue to shrink in size.
The country’s population has been in natural decline for the past five years, with deaths exceeding births by 118,881 in 2023. Despite the recent fertility rate increase, South Korea remains the only OECD country with a fertility rate below 1.0, far below the OECD average of 1.51 recorded in 2022.
Still, some indicators suggest a possible shift.
The number of newlyweds climbed to its highest level since 2019, with 222,422 couples marrying last year — a trend that could support further birth rate improvements.
“The population of women in their early 30s has increased, and marriages that were delayed due to COVID-19 have consecutively risen,” said Park Hyun-jung, an official from Statistics Korea. “There has also been a shift in social values, with more positive views on marriage and childbirth.”
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