Births rise by 8 percent in July, a record high in 17 years

The number of babies born in July this year rose by nearly 8 percent compared to the same month last year, marking the largest increase for July in 17 years. Marriages, a key indicator of future births, also surged at a record pace, with more young people choosing to marry and start families. This has raised hopes that the country’s declining birthrate may have reached its lowest point and could be on the path to recovery. However, some experts caution that this rise may be misleading, attributing it to a larger population reaching marriageable age.

According to data from Statistics Korea's "Population Census,” released on Wednesday, 20,601 babies were born in July year on year, an increase of 7.9 percent (or 1,516 births). This marks the highest increase since July 2007, which saw a 12.4 percent jump. Marriages also saw a significant rise as 18,811 couples tied the knot in July year on year, which is a 32.9 percent increase. This is the highest growth for July on record and the second-largest monthly increase since January 1996, which saw a 50.6 percent rise.

A Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee report revealed a growing trend of young people expressing interest in marriage and parenthood. The percentage of unmarried men and women who said they intend to marry rose by 4.4 percentage points, from 61 percent in March to 65.4 percent in September. Similarly, the percentage of childless individuals who said they plan to have children increased by 5.1 percentage points, from 32.6 percent to 37.7 percent over the same period. The Committee is expected to release a full report with these findings next month.


세종=이호 기자 number2@donga.com