Signal of Birth Rate Increase? January Weddings Up 21.5% This Year

January 2023 Population Trends Announcement
Statistics Korea "Base Effect Delayed by COVID-19"
Number of Births Decreased by 6% to 23,179

The number of marriages in South Korea in January this year increased by more than 20% compared to last year. This is attributed to couples who had postponed their weddings due to COVID-19 finally holding their ceremonies.

According to the 'January 2023 Population Trends' report released by Statistics Korea on the 22nd, the number of marriages was 17,926, an increase of 3,173 (21.5%) compared to the same month last year (14,753).

Im Young-il, head of the Population Trends Division at Statistics Korea, said, "This is a base effect caused by an increase in people getting married after postponing their weddings due to COVID-19," adding, "While the rise in marriages may have a positive impact on birth rates, some couples either do not have children or have them later, so we need to monitor the trend."

The number of births was 23,179, a decrease of 1,486 (-6.0%) compared to the same month last year. The downward trend has continued for 86 consecutive months since December 2015.

The number of deaths in January was 32,703, an increase of 2,856 (9.6%) compared to the same month last year. By region, all provinces and cities saw an increase compared to the same month last year. As a result, the natural population decrease (number of births minus number of deaths) in January was 9,524, marking the 39th consecutive month of natural decline.

The number of divorces was 7,251, a decrease of 103 (1.4%) compared to the same month last year. By region, eight provinces including Daegu and Sejong saw an increase, while eight others including Seoul and Busan saw a decrease. Gwangju showed a similar level.