South Korea might be overcoming the severe low birth rate crisis, showing a small glimmer of hope.
April 2025 records sharpest increase in newborns since 1991
The number of births in April 2025 rose by 8.7% compared to the same month last year (April 2024), marking the largest year-on-year increase in 34 years.
The number of marriages also continued to climb, signaling a potentially positive shift in demographic trends.
According to Statistics Korea’s 'April 2025 Population Trends' released on June 25, a total of 20,717 babies were born in April 2025, up from 19,059 in April 2024, an 8.7% increase and the highest YoY growth since April 1991. The total fertility rate, which is the average number of children born per woman, also rose to 0.79, up 0.06 from the same month last year.
Marriage numbers hit a six-year high amid post-COVID recovery
Alongside the increase in birth rates, the number of marriages has also shown clear growth.
In April 2025, 18,921 marriages were recorded, representing an increase of 884 cases (4.9%) compared to the same month in the previous year. This is the highest April figure since 2019, when 20,026 marriages were registered.
Notably, the rebound in marriage rates, which had plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic, has continued for three consecutive years since 2023.
Regionally, the rise in marriages was especially prominent in major metropolitan areas such as Seoul (15.8%), Daejeon (30.4%), and Gwangju (11.7%), with steady increases also observed in Gyeonggi Province (5.6%) and Incheon (3.8%) in the greater Seoul area.
Experts suggest that the recent increase is due to many couples finally proceeding with weddings that were delayed by the pandemic, along with growing expectations for government support in housing and childcare for young people.
Population decline persists despite increasing birth rate
However, despite the uptick in births, South Korea’s natural population growth (births minus deaths) remains negative at -8,068.
The number of deaths in April was 28,785, a 0.8% increase from the previous year, meaning the rise in births is still not enough to offset the number of deaths.
A Statistics Korea official commented, “It is encouraging to see both birth and marriage numbers recovering,” but emphasized that continued policy support is necessary to maintain and build upon this trend.
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