Why did South Korea’s births rise for 24 straight months in June?

An official from the data ministry said the increase came as marriages have been recovering since May 2023 after the pandemic, helped by a rise in the number of women in their 30s. Experts also linked the trend to increasingly positive perceptions of having children.

How many babies were born in South Korea in June 2026 and what was the fertility rate?

A total of 23,111 babies were born in June, up 15.6 percent from a year earlier. The total fertility rate rose to 0.88, and the government said the growth rate was the highest since it began compiling the data in 1981.

Did South Korea still record a population decline in June despite more births?

Yes. Deaths increased 2 percent on-year to 27,794, while births rose to 23,111, leaving a natural population decline of 4,683. The article also said the country’s fertility rate remains well below the 2.1 level needed to maintain a stable population without immigration.

Births up 15.6% in June, extend gains for 24th month

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Summary

South Korea’s number of babies born rose 15.6 percent in June from a year earlier, marking the 24th straight month of on-year growth. A total of 23,111 babies were born, while the total fertility rate climbed to 0.88. Government data also showed marriages increased and deaths rose, leaving a natural population decline of 4,683.

Key Facts

The number of births in June was 23,111, up from 19,996 a year earlier.
The June growth rate was the highest since the government began compiling the data in 1981.
The total fertility rate in June rose 0.11 point on-year to 0.88, still below the 2.1 level needed for a stable population without immigration.
Over January-June, 145,804 babies were born, the highest first-half figure since 2019 and the largest on-record increase in both number and growth rate.
The number of marriages in June rose 14 percent to 21,075, while deaths increased 2 percent to 27,794, resulting in a natural population decline of 4,683.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 26, 2026 12:19 pm KST

The number of babies born in Korea rose 15.6 percent in June from a year earlier, marking the 24th consecutive month of on-year growth, government data showed Wednesday.

A total of 23,111 babies were born in June, up 3,115 from 19,996 a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics.

The growth rate was the highest since the government began compiling relevant data in 1981. The increase in absolute terms was also the largest since 1992, when the figure rose by 3,666.

The country's total fertility rate, the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, rose 0.11 point from a year earlier to 0.88 in June.

The fertility rate remains well below the 2.1 births per woman needed to maintain a stable population without immigration.

The number of births has maintained an upward trend since July 2024.

Experts attribute the recent growth to an increase in the number of marriages, coupled with increasingly positive perceptions of having children.

"The increase in births came as the number of marriages has been recovering since May 2023 following the end of the pandemic, with an increase in the number of women in their 30s," an official from the data ministry said.

The official noted as births tended to be higher in the second half of the year in 2024 and 2025, the annual rate could reach 0.9 this year, although the country still needs to take a wait-and-see approach.

Over the January-June period, a total of 145,804 babies were born, up 15.4 percent from a year earlier. The figure was the highest since 2019, while both the increase in number and the growth rate were the largest on record.

The number of marriages in June jumped 14 percent from a year earlier to 21,075.

The number of divorces, meanwhile, rose 13.5 percent on-year to 7,688.

The data showed the number of deaths increased 2 percent from a year earlier to 27,794, resulting in a natural population decline of 4,683.

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