How can S. Korea sustain 4-consecutive-month record of over 20,000 births?

How can S. Korea sustain 4-consecutive-month record of over 20,000 births?. December. 27, 2024 07:36. .
South Korea recorded 21,398 births in October, surpassing 20,000 for the fourth consecutive month. This represents a 13.4 percent increase compared to the same month last year, marking the highest growth rate in 14 years. Notably, all 17 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide reported an increase in births. With a cumulative total of 199,999 births from January to October, up 1.9 percent from the same period last year, there is optimism that the annual birth count may rise for the first time in nine years.

Statistics Korea attributes the rise in births to an increase in the number of marriages since the second half of 2022, as the COVID-19 pandemic subsided, and the growth of the population in their early thirties, the prime age for marriage and childbirth. In October, the number of marriages, a leading indicator of births, was 19,551, up 22.3 percent compared to the same month last year. The "echo boom generation," children of the second baby boom generation born during the temporary rise in birth rates from 1991 to 1996, is also contributing. This generation, now aged 28 to 33, has entered the prime age for marriage and childbirth, driving up the birth count.

Even if the total fertility rate rebounds this year, it will be challenging to reverse the trend of ultra-low fertility, defined as below 1.3 births per woman, in a single leap. However, there are encouraging signs, such as surveys indicating a more positive perception of marriage and childbirth, along with the rising birth numbers. Public support for low birthrate policies and financial investment is also higher than ever.

This is a pivotal moment to implement bold policies to improve low birth rates and attempt a turnaround. However, amid political turmoil, even the policies previously announced by the Presidential Committee on Aging Society and Population Policy have stalled due to a lack of legislative and budgetary support. Low fertility could lead to dire consequences for society, including the collapse of cities, weakened growth potential, and instability in welfare systems. Efforts must be made to sustain the momentum and seize this opportunity to bring the fertility rate back to a normal trajectory.