South Korea's April births hit 7-year high, with record-breaking increase rate

South Korea's birth rate saw a significant uptick in April, with 24,521 newborns registered, marking the highest figure in seven years. This represents a substantial 18.0% increase compared to the same month last year, the largest April surge since 1981. The total fertility rate, a measure of the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, also climbed to 0.93 in April. This figure has consistently stayed above 0.9 for the past four months, raising hopes that the annual rate might exceed last year's 0.80.

The surge in births appears to be driven largely by women in their 30s. The age-specific fertility rate for women aged 30-34 increased by 12.7 per thousand women, reaching 86.8. Similarly, the rate for women aged 35-39 rose by 12.3 per thousand, reaching 63.4. This demographic shift suggests a trend of later-life childbearing continuing, but with an overall increase in numbers.

Contributing to this trend is a sustained rise in marriage registrations. In April, there were 20,622 marriages, a 9.0% increase from the previous year, marking the 25th consecutive month of year-on-year growth. Experts suggest a combination of factors, including the influence of the large "echo-boom" generation entering marriageable age, a potentially more positive societal view towards marriage and childbirth, and the effects of government policies, may be playing a role.

Despite the positive news on births, South Korea continues to experience a natural population decrease. In April, deaths outnumbered births by 3,884, with 28,405 recorded deaths.

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The influence of the large echo-boom generation, a positive shift in perceptions of marriage and childbirth, and policy effects appear to have contributed to the increase in marriages and births.