Seoul: The number of babies born in South Korea has risen for the 14th consecutive month as of August, primarily attributed to a surge in marriages, recent data revealed.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a total of 20,867 babies were born in August, marking a 3.8 percent increase from the 20,103 births recorded during the same month last year, as reported by the Ministry of Data and Statistics. This upward trend in births has been observed since July of the previous year.
Despite a slight dip in June, the number of monthly births has consistently hovered around 20,000 since January, with increases noted again in July and August. The total fertility rate, which measures the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, saw a slight rise to 0.77 in August, up by 0.02 from the previous year.
The Ministry highlighted that the increase in births is likely influenced by a steady rise in marriages, supportive government policies, and a growing population of women in their early 30s. In a society where childbirth outside of marriage is uncommon, the rise in marriages typically heralds an increase in births.
August witnessed an 11 percent year-on-year jump in marriages, reaching 19,449, marking the 17th consecutive month of growth. This figure represents the highest number of marriages in any August since 2017, when it was recorded at 20,068.
South Korea has been grappling with persistently low birth rates due to economic challenges and evolving social attitudes, which have led many young individuals to delay or forgo marriage and parenthood. In response, the government has implemented various initiatives, including financial support for marriage and child care, to encourage higher birth rates.
In contrast, the number of deaths in August decreased by 9.8 percent year-on-year to 28,971, resulting in a natural population decline of 8,105. Additionally, divorces fell by 5.5 percent to 7,196 during the same period, according to the data.