Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

In 2025, Seoul’s birth rate increased for the second consecutive year. During the first half of this year, the South Korean capital also recorded the fastest growth in both the number of births and marriages among the country’s major cities and provinces.

According to birth statistics for 2025 published by the Ministry of Data and Statistics, 45,516 babies were born in Seoul last year, an increase of 9.4% compared with 2024, when 41,605 births were recorded. This was the largest increase among the country’s 16 major administrative regions.

Seoul’s total fertility rate also rose in 2025, reaching 0.63. The figure has increased for the second consecutive year after falling to a record low of 0.55 in 2023. In 2024, the rate stood at 0.58.

The total fertility rate represents the average number of children a woman is expected to have over her lifetime. Across South Korea as a whole, the fertility rate reached 0.80 in 2025, marking its second consecutive annual increase after hitting a historic low of 0.72 in 2023.

The number of marriages, which is considered an important factor influencing future birth rates, has also continued to rise. In Seoul, 26,840 marriages were registered between January and June, 10.9% more than during the same period a year earlier. This was also the highest increase among the country’s major cities and provinces.

The figures are particularly significant because South Korea has one of the world’s lowest fertility rates. For years, the country has faced a serious demographic challenge caused by delayed marriage, high housing and education costs, and changing attitudes toward having children.

Interestingly, the recent increase in births does not necessarily mean that South Korea’s demographic crisis is over. Even with the rise to 0.80 nationwide, the fertility rate remains far below the replacement level of about 2.1 children per woman, which is generally considered necessary to maintain a stable population without relying on migration.

If the upward trend continues, however, it could provide a much-needed positive sign for South Korea’s long-term demographic outlook.