South Korea’s Birth Rate Is Rising Again—But Has the Demographic Crisis Really Turned a Corner?
For years, South Korea’s falling birth rate appeared to be moving in only one direction. Then the numbers began to improve. In 2025, the country recorded approximately 254,500 births , an increase of 16,100, or 6.8 percent, from the previous year. Births of first children rose particularly strongly, while fertility increased across all maternal age groups. At first glance, this looks like an important turning point for a country that has become a global symbol of ultra-low fertility. But one year of improvement does not mean South Korea’s demographic crisis has been solved. The more important question is not simply whether more babies were born. It is whether the economic and social conditions that discouraged young Koreans from marriage and parenthood have fundamentally changed. AI generated image Why the recent increase matters South Korea’s birth-rate rebound should not be dismissed. A sustained increase in births could signal that more couples are moving forward with...