South Korea Records Birthrate Increase Amid Post-Pandemic Marriage Rebound

South Korea experienced its sharpest rise in births in 15 years in 2025, with 254,500 babies born, marking a 6.8% increase from the previous year. The total fertility rate rose to 0.8, the highest in over a decade, supported by a post-pandemic rebound in marriages and a growing population of women in their 30s. Despite this improvement, deaths exceeded births, resulting in a natural population decline. Officials hope the fertility rate may reach 1.0 by 2031 if current trends continue.