South Korea, which once had the world's lowest birth rate, is showing signs of easing its population crisis after data from the Ministry of Information and Statistics revealed a total fertility rate of 0.80 in 2025, up from 0.75 in 2024. This marks a second consecutive year of increase, largely driven by record-high marriage rates and shifts in social attitudes.
The latest data from South Korea's Ministry of Information and Statistics indicates that the fertility rate—the average number of children a woman has during her reproductive years—increased to 0.80 in 2025 from 0.75 in 2024. The 2025 figure represents the highest annual rise since 2010, the fastest growth in 15 years, and the second consecutive year of growth.
This recovery marks a significant turning point after South Korea held the distinction of having the world's lowest birth rate for many years, hitting a low of 0.72 in 2023. However, government support policies and recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to a rise in newborns starting in 2024.
The ministry stated that the increase in newborns results from a rise in marriages and a continuous increase in women in their early 30s—the prime age group for childbearing—since 2021.
"Marriage registrations have increased continuously for 21 months from April 2024 to December last year, as couples who had postponed weddings due to the COVID-19 pandemic finally held their ceremonies," the ministry said.
Park Hyunjung, an official from the ministry, explained that this record was driven by a continuous rise in marriage registrations over 21 months from April 2024 to December 2025, as couples delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic entered matrimony. In 2025, marriages increased by 8.1%, following a 14.8% surge in 2024—the highest on record. Additionally, surveys show a positive shift in South Koreans' attitudes toward family formation: 52.5% now view marriage positively, up from 50.1% in 2022, and the average desired number of children is 1.89.
Despite these improvements, South Korea faces long-term challenges. Natural population decline persists; last year, there were 254,457 newborns—a 6.8% increase—but deaths numbered 363,389, resulting in a continued population decrease for the sixth consecutive year.
Moreover, economic pressures remain. The central bank forecasts that South Korea's GDP growth could slow to just 0.6% between 2045 and 2049 if demographic issues are not resolved. There are also warnings that the state pension fund—the world's third largest—could be depleted by 2071 due to rising social welfare costs.
Under President Lee Jae-myung's leadership, the government is preparing a 5-year strategic population policy to address an aging society. The plan focuses on expanding child welfare support, attracting skilled foreign workers, and fostering regional cooperation with China and Japan to tackle demographic challenges across East Asia.
The government projects that if current trends continue, South Korea's fertility rate could rise to 1.0 by 2031, helping to stabilize a population expected to decline to just 36.2 million by 2072.