South Korea birth rate rises for first time in 9 years

SEOUL — The number of births in South Korea rose last year for the first time in nine years, supported by an increase in marriages, preliminary data showed on Wednesday, indicating that the country's demographic crisis might have turned a corner.

The country's fertility rate — the average number of babies a woman is expected to have during her reproductive life — stood at 0.75 in 2024, according to Statistics Korea.

In 2023, the birth rate fell for the eighth consecutive year to 0.72, the lowest in the world, from 1.24 in 2015, raising concerns over the economic shock to society from such a rapid pace.