South Korea sees first rise in childbirth rate in 19 months

The 2.8% rise from the previous year is attributed to a surge in newly married couples post-pandemic.

The childbirth rate has raised for the first time during the last 19 months in South Korea as the country recorded over 19,000 new babies born in April this year, local media reported on Wednesday.

According to Statistics Korea, a total of 19,049 babies were born in April 2024, up 2.8% from a year earlier.

"The growth came as the number of newly married couples rose over the past couple of years after the COVID-19 pandemic, though it remains to be seen if such an uptrend could continue," Seoul-based Yonhap News reported citing the Statistics Korea report.

It was the first time since September 2022 that the figure logged on-year growth, according to the news agency.

Last week, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a "demographic national emergency" to counter the low birth rate and an aging population in the East Asian country.

He said that his government will make all efforts to tackle the country's ultralow birth rate.

South Korea is facing low birth rates and aging populations.

According to a report, South Korean couples avoid starting a family and having children for several reasons, including the high cost of housing, education, and long working hours.

However, President Yoon promised to take concrete steps such as increasing parental leave allowances, extending leave for fathers, implementing flexible work hours, and easing the educational burden on parents.