How many babies were born in Korea in July and how long has the increase continued?

Korea recorded 24,275 births in July, an 11.1 percent increase from a year earlier. It was the 25th consecutive month of year-on-year growth in births.

What happened to Korea’s fertility rate, marriages, and deaths in July?

The total fertility rate rose to 0.89 in July, still below the 2.1 level needed to maintain a stable population without immigration. Marriages increased to 22,282 and deaths rose to 28,921, which resulted in a natural population decline of 4,647.

Births up 11% in July, extending gains to 25th consecutive month

Q: Why are births rising in Korea in July 2026?

The rebound came amid a growing number of marriages, an increase in the population in their 30s, and more positive attitudes toward having children. The article says these factors helped drive the recent upward trend.

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Summary

The number of babies born in Korea rose 11.1 percent in July from a year earlier, marking the 25th consecutive month of increases. A total of 24,275 babies were born, and the figure was the highest for any July since 2019. The total fertility rate rose to 0.89, while marriages also increased and deaths rose, leaving a natural population decline.

Key Facts

A total of 24,275 babies were born in July, up from 21,854 a year earlier.
The number of births in July was the highest for any July since 25,222 were recorded in 2019.
The country’s total fertility rate rose 0.08 from a year earlier to 0.89 in July.
Over January-July, 170,079 babies were born, up 14.7 percent from a year earlier and the highest for that period since 2019.
Marriages in July rose 9.3 percent to 22,282, while deaths increased 3 percent to 28,921, causing a natural population decline of 4,647.

By Yonhap

Published Sep 23, 2026 12:40 pm KST

Nurses take care of newborns at a hospital in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, July 29. Yonhap

The number of babies born in Korea rose 11.1 percent in July from a year earlier, marking the 25th consecutive month of increases, government data showed Wednesday.

A total of 24,275 babies were born in July, up from 21,854 a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics. It marked the highest figure for any July since 25,222 recorded in 2019.

The country's total fertility rate, the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, rose 0.08 from a year earlier to 0.89 in July. The 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 trajectory since July 2024.

Over the January-July period, 170,079 babies were born, up 14.7 percent from a year earlier. It was the highest figure for the period since 2019.

The recent rebound came amid a growing number of marriages, an increase in the population in their 30s and more positive attitudes toward having children.

The number of marriages in July rose 9.3 percent from a year earlier to 22,282. The number of divorces, on the other hand, fell 0.8 percent to 7,764.

The number of deaths increased 3 percent from a year earlier to 28,921, resulting in a natural population decline of 4,647, the latest findings showed.

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