Both Marriage and Childbirth Increased... 'Highest Growth Rate' as of August

Statistics Korea August Population Trends Announcement
Positive Signs in Low Birthrate Improvement Indicators

The number of births in August exceeded 20,000, showing the highest growth rate for August since 2010. The number of marriages also increased by more than 20%, marking the highest growth rate for August on record. These indicators suggest a positive trend in improving low birth rates.

According to the 'August Population Trends' released by Statistics Korea on the 23rd, the number of births in August was 20,098, an increase of 1,124 (5.9%) compared to the same month last year. This is the highest growth rate for August since 2010 (6.1%).

The number of births this year decreased from January to March, then increased in April (2.8%) and May (2.7%), decreased in June (-1.8%), and has been rising again since July (7.9%). A Statistics Korea official said, "The cumulative number of births from January to August this year (158,011) decreased by 0.4% compared to the same period last year. This is the first time since 2015."

The number of marriages in August was 17,527, an increase of 2,917 (20.0%) compared to the same month last year. This is the highest growth rate for August since statistics began in 1981. The number of marriages has been increasing for four consecutive months since April, and except for June (5.6%), all months showed an increase of over 20%.

By region, Daejeon recorded 4,347 marriages, a 21.3% increase compared to the previous year, marking the highest growth rate among all regions. A Statistics Korea official explained, "The support funds provided to couples registering their marriage in Daejeon starting this year likely influenced this."

The number of deaths was 32,244, an increase of 1,721 (5.6%) compared to the same month last year. By region, deaths increased in 13 areas including Seoul and Daegu, while they decreased in 4 areas including Busan and Sejong.

The number of divorces was 7,616, a decrease of 440 (5.5%) compared to the same month last year. Divorces increased in 5 regions including Sejong and Gangwon, but decreased in many others including Seoul and Busan.