South Korea records the first growth of birth in almost a decade

SEOUL: The birth rate of South Korea has increased for the first time in almost ten years, providing a glow of hope in the face of an in -depth demographic crisis, according to official data published on Wednesday.

The total fertility rate of the country – the average number of children a woman is expected to have – increased to 0.75 in 2024 from 0.72 in 2023. Despite this modest growth, South Korea still has The lowest fertility rate in the world, well below the level of replacement of 2.1 necessary to support the growth of the population.

Korea statistics reported an increase of 3.6% of births, with 238,343 babies born in 2024, compared to 229,931 in the previous year. This growth coincides with a growth of marriages, which jumped by 14.9% from year to year-old year old. Pandemiei Covid-19.

“The growth of births is related to several factors, including an increase in marriages, extended government support and demographic changes,” said Park Hyun-Jeong, officially at Korea statistics.

In order to address the crisis of his population, South Korea has introduced policies such as financial incentives for parents, housing subsidies for newborn and reforms at work aimed at facilitating children’s care tasks. However, these measures have been strived so far to reverse the long-term decrease in births.

The population of South Korea, which has reached a maximum of 51.83 million in 2020, is provided to fall abruptly in the coming decades, estimates that could decrease to 36.22 million by 2072 if current trends persist.

Analysts indicate high living costs, expensive education and social pressures as key factors that discourage young couples to have children. Many women, in particular, face difficulties that balances their careers with family responsibilities.

Despite the challenges, officials remain prudently optimistic. “The second growth and third children born suggests that this trend may not be temporary,” said you Hye, main presidential secretary for population planning.

However, South Korea remains in a severe demographic crisis, with deaths overcome births for the fifth consecutive year. Only in 2023, the country registered a decrease in the natural population of 120,000 people, emphasizing the urgency of the decreasing population.