South Korea's March births highest in 7 years, fertility rate nears 1.0

South Korea's birth rate saw a notable increase in March, with over 25,000 births recorded, reaching the highest monthly figure in seven years. This marks a significant rebound after dipping below 20,000 in 2024, indicating a potential reversal of the long-term declining trend. The cumulative total fertility rate for the first quarter also rose to 0.95, approaching the 1.0 mark.

The number of births in March was 25,200, an increase of 4,088 births, or 19.4%, compared to the same month last year. This represents the largest year-on-year increase for March since data collection began in 1981. The upward trend is also evident in the first-quarter cumulative figures, which reached 75,013 births, up 9,651, or 14.8%, from the previous year. This is the highest first-quarter total since 2019, recovering to levels seen in 2020.

The total fertility rate for March stood at 0.93, a 0.15 point increase from the previous year. For the first quarter, the cumulative rate was 0.95, up 0.12 points from 0.83 last year. If this trend continues, the annual total fertility rate for the year is expected to exceed last year's 0.80 and approach 0.9.

Several factors are believed to be contributing to this rise. The increasing number of marriages over the past two years, coupled with a higher birth rate among women in their early thirties and a rise in births among those in their late thirties, are key drivers. Specifically, the birth rate for women aged 30-34 increased by 11.3 births per 1,000 women in the first quarter, reaching 88.5. For women aged 35-39, the rate increased by 9.0 births per 1,000 women, reaching 62.4.

While the trend of increasing marriages continues, its pace has slightly slowed. The first quarter of this year saw 62,309 marriages, a 6.1% increase from the previous year, which is a slower growth rate compared to the 8.4% increase observed in the same period last year.