South Korea's birth rate sees hopeful rebound with more second children

South Korea's birth rate is showing encouraging signs of recovery, with a notable increase in the proportion of second-born children. In April, approximately three out of every 10 babies born were second children, pushing the second-birth ratio to 32.2% – a rise for the first time in 14 months. This trend suggests that the recent growth in births, previously driven mainly by first-time mothers, is now extending to second and subsequent children.

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Recently, married people are having children, so the number of first children is rapidly increasing. However, the fact that the proportion of second children has also increased means that the speed of increase in second children is faster than that of first children, which is a very positive sign.

This shift is seen as a potentially structural change, moving beyond a simple quantitative increase. The trend is supported by a rise in births among women in their late 30s and an overall increase in marriages. Experts interpret this as a positive signal, indicating that couples who may have delayed childbirth are now having children, and importantly, are opting for more than one child.

The number of births in April increased by 18.0% compared to the previous year, marking the 22nd consecutive month of growth. The total fertility rate for April stood at 0.93, up from the previous year and maintaining a rate above 0.9 for four consecutive months. The number of second births alone saw a significant increase of 1,221 compared to the previous year, reaching the highest monthly figure since statistics began in January 2024.

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The increase in births among women in their late 30s and the expansion of the second-child ratio can be seen as the same trend. It is a positive sign that the generation that delayed childbirth is participating in childbirth and that this is leading to second children.

Experts like Lee Sang-lim from Seoul National University's Population Policy Research Center view this as a very positive sign, suggesting the pace of second-child births is accelerating faster than first-child births. This is further bolstered by an increase in marriages, which typically lead to first births. If this trend of rising second births continues, analysts predict it could hasten the return of the total fertility rate to above one child per woman.

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The rebound in the proportion of second children can be seen as a signal that the atmosphere surrounding marriage and childbirth is positively changing overall. If the trend of increasing marriages and the expansion of the second-child ratio continue together, the recent recovery in birth rates may move beyond a temporary rebound to a more stable recovery phase.