For nearly a decade, South Korea has lived under a shadow.
A shrinking population.
Empty classrooms.
An ageing nation.
Each year, the numbers told the same story: fewer babies, fewer marriages, fewer beginnings.
But in 2025, something changed.
For the second straight year, South Korea’s birthrate has risen.
And for the first time in years, there is cautious hope.
A Small Number — A Big Meaning
The country’s total fertility rate — the average number of babies a woman is expected to have — climbed to 0.80 in 2025.
It may not sound like much.
But after hitting a historic low of 0.72 in 2023, the lowest in the world, this steady rise matters.
In 2024, the rate was 0.75.
Now it’s 0.80.
A small increase.
But a significant signal.
New births rose to 5.0 per 1,000 people, up from 4.7 the year before.
After eight straight years of decline, the trend is no longer falling.
It is — slowly — turning.
The Weight of the Crisis
South Korea’s demographic crisis did not happen overnight.
Skyrocketing housing prices made starting a family feel impossible.
Long working hours left little room for parenting.
More women entered the workforce — a positive shift — but without enough support systems in place.
Marriage rates dropped.
Births followed.
By 2023, South Korea had the lowest fertility rate in the world.
The future felt uncertain.
Why Is It Rising Now?
Government officials point to two key factors.
First: marriages are increasing.
Marriages jumped 14.8% in 2024 — a record rise.
They rose again by 8.1% in 2025.
And marriages matter.
Because births typically follow one to two years later.
“The biggest part is that marriages are increasing,” a government official explained.
There are more people in their 30s.
And attitudes toward marriage are slowly shifting.
In a 2024 survey, more than half of South Koreans said they viewed marriage positively — the highest in years.
The average number of children people ideally want?
Nearly two.
The desire is still there.
Seoul: The Surprising Center of Growth
Even the capital city — long seen as ground zero for low birthrates — saw improvement.
Seoul’s fertility rate rose nearly 9%, climbing from 0.58 to 0.63.
It remains the lowest in the country.
But the direction matters.
Up.
Caution, Not Celebration
Experts urge restraint.
Some of the increase may be influenced by demographic shifts — including population composition changes.
But even cautious observers admit:
The numbers feel different this time.
They suggest movement.
Possibility.
Momentum.
And sometimes, belief matters as much as statistics.
If people begin to feel more positive about the future, they may feel more confident about starting families.
The Bigger Economic Fear
Behind the numbers lies a deeper concern.
South Korea’s population currently stands at 51.8 million.
By 2072, it is projected to fall to 36.2 million — nearly a one-third drop.
Last year alone, deaths outpaced births by more than 100,000.
The population has been shrinking naturally for six straight years.
An ageing society brings heavy economic pressure.
The country’s potential growth rate has already fallen sharply over the past three decades.
By 2045, it could drop to just 0.6%.
Public finances are under strain.
The national pension fund — one of the largest in the world — is projected to run out by 2071.
The demographic crisis is not just about babies.
It is about survival.
What Happens Next?
President Lee Jae Myung’s administration is preparing a five-year roadmap to address the crisis.
Plans include stronger support for young adults, low-income families, and the unemployed.
More childcare assistance.
More workplace flexibility.
More housing support.
There are also discussions about attracting skilled foreign workers to offset a shrinking labor force.
South Korea is even calling for regional cooperation, raising the issue of ageing populations with China and Japan.
Because this is not just one country’s challenge.
It is a global one.
A Fragile Turning Point
The fertility rate is still far below the 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population.
But for the first time in years, the numbers are not falling.
They are rising.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Uncertainly.
Is it a full recovery?
Not yet.
But after nearly a decade of decline, even a flicker of hope feels powerful.
Because sometimes, the smallest upward curve can signal something bigger:
A nation trying to believe in its future again.
