South Korea Reports Historic Growth in June Births

(MENAFN) South Korea experienced its fastest growth in June births on record, according to official data released Wednesday by Statistics Korea and reported by media. A total of 19,953 babies were born last month, marking a 9.4% increase compared to June of the previous year. This surge represents the steepest year-on-year rise for any June since data collection began in 1981.

June also marked the 12th consecutive month of rising birth numbers, though newborns fell just shy of 20,000 for the first time in three months. The country’s total fertility rate climbed from 0.70 to 0.76 in June, driven largely by higher birth rates among women aged 35 to 39.

Between April and June, births rose 7.3% year-over-year to 60,979, registering the strongest growth for any second quarter since 1981. For the first half of 2025, South Korea recorded a 7.4% increase in births compared to the same period last year, the highest growth rate for that timeframe on record.

However, despite the uptick in births, the nation’s overall population continues to decline due to a rising death toll. In June alone, deaths reached 27,270, a 1.5% increase from the previous year, resulting in a net population decrease of 7,317. In the second quarter, deaths rose 0.7% to 84,565, driving a population decline of 23,586.

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