A striking image captured a couple in protective masks attending a mass wedding ceremony at the Cheongshim Peace World Centre in Gapyeong, South Korea, on February 7, 2020, highlighting the blend of cultural celebration and public health concerns during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

Recent preliminary data reveals that South Korea’s fertility rate—the average number of children a woman is expected to have—rose to 0.75 in 2024. This marks a turnaround after the previous year’s rate had dropped to 0.72, a decline that had plunged the nation to the lowest levels globally for several consecutive years since 2015, drawing attention to the potential economic and social implications of a diminishing population.

Confronting its demographic challenges, South Korea has implemented a host of measures aimed at encouraging marriage and childbearing, efforts that have been further emphasized by government leaders amid declarations of a national demographic crisis. The government’s proactive stance included plans to establish a dedicated ministry focused on addressing the low birth rate.

Officials believe that the recent surge in marriage rates, which jumped by 14.9% in 2024—the largest increase since records began in 1970—is a key factor behind the rise in new births. Experts note that the trend toward more favorable views on marriage and parenthood, influenced by factors such as the increasing number of people in their early 30s and the lingering effects of the pandemic, has contributed to this shift.

Despite the upward movement in birth statistics, challenges remain. Data indicates that the capital, Seoul, recorded the nation’s lowest birthrate at 0.58, while the overall population declined due to a consistently higher number of deaths compared to births over the past five years. Projections suggest that while one administrative center has experienced modest growth, the population, once peaking at 51.83 million in 2020, could decrease to as few as 36.22 million by 2072.