Indicators
South Korea’s Fertility Rate Edges Up for First Time in Years
- Rate remains the world’s lowest at 0.75 as of last year
- Efforts to boost births are in limbo amid political turmoil
South Korea recorded the first increase in its fertility rate in nine years, in a rare piece of positive news for policymakers who have ramped up childcare support in one of the world’s fastest-aging societies.
The number of babies expected per woman in a lifetime rose to 0.75 last year from 0.72 in 2023, according to data released Wednesday by South Korea’s national statistics office. While the fertility rate remained the world’s lowest, it marked the first year-on-year pickup since 2015, when it registered 1.24.