Summary

South Korea’s birth rate is projected to rise in 2024 for the first time in nine years, driven by a 13.5% rebound in marriages in 2023, delayed due to the pandemic.

The country, with the world’s lowest fertility rate (0.72 in 2023), recorded a 3% increase in newborns (January–November 2024).

High cultural correlation between marriage and childbirth contributes to the trend.