South Korea’s fertility rate increased in 2024 for the first time in nine years, rising from 0.72 in 2023 to 0.75. This happened mainly because more people got married.
South Korea has had the world’s lowest fertility rate for eight years, worrying experts about the impact on the economy. Since 2018, it has been the only OECD country with a rate below 1.
The government introduced policies to support marriage and childbirth after former President Yoon Suk-yeol called the situation a “national demographic crisis.” Officials say changing social attitudes and delayed pandemic marriages also played a role in the birth rate increase.
Marriages increased by 14.9% in 2024, the biggest rise since 1970. However, the country’s population is still shrinking, with 120,000 more deaths than births last year. Seoul had the lowest birthrate (0.58), while Sejong was the only major city where the population grew.
South Korea’s population peaked at 51.83 million in 2020 and is expected to drop to 36.22 million by 2072.
Source – CGTN
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