South Korean Birth Rate Experiences First Increase In 19 Months

Seoul, South Korea/ILLUSTRATION UNSPLASH/Andrea De Santis

JAKARTA - South Korea's birth rate has increased for the first time in 19 months with at least 19,000 babies born in April this year, local media reported.

According to the Korean Statistics Agency, as many as 19,049 babies were born in April 2024, an increase of 2.8 percent compared to the previous year.

"This growth occurs when the number of new married couples has increased over the past few years after the COVID-19 pandemic, although it remains to be seen whether the upward trend can continue," Yonhap News reported, citing a report by the Korean Statistics Agency reported by ANTARA, Thursday, June 27.

This is the first time the figure has recorded annual growth since September 2022, according to the news agency.

Last week, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announced a "national demographic emergency" to address the low birth rate and aging population in the East Asian country.

He said his government would make every effort to address the country's very low birth rate.

According to a report, couples in South Korea avoid developing families and have children for various reasons, including high housing costs, education, and long working hours.

However, President Yoon promised to take concrete steps such as increasing parental leave benefits, extending leave for father, implementing flexible working hours, and easing the burden of education for parents.