South Korea Fertility Rate Rises

South Korea's fertility rate increased in 2024 for the first time in nine years, reaching 0.75, up from 0.72 in 2023. This rise is primarily attributed to a significant 14.9% jump in marriages, the largest spike since 1970, following a post-pandemic boost. The country has been facing a severe demographic crisis, with its fertility rate being the lowest in the world and the only OECD member below 1 since 2018. Former President Yoon Suk Yeol had declared a 'national demographic crisis' and proposed a new ministry to address the issue. While the population continues to shrink overall, with 120,000 more deaths than births last year, the increase in fertility and marriage rates, as reported by South Korea — Ministry of Data and Statistics, suggests a potential turning point. The capital, South Korea — Seoul, still recorded the lowest birthrate at 0.58, while South Korea — Sejong City was the only major center to experience population growth. Projections indicate South Korea's population could shrink to 36.22 million by 2072 from its 2020 peak of 51.83 million.