ANKARA

South Korea has logged the highest birth rate for May in 14 years, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported on Wednesday, citing the government data.

The number of babies born jumped nearly 4% from a year earlier in May, marking the sharpest increase for May in 14 years.

A total of 20,309 babies were born in May, which was 3.8% higher than the 19,567 babies born a year earlier, marking the steepest on-year increase for any May since 2011, when the figure rose by 5.3%.

May also marked the second consecutive month in which monthly births exceeded the 20,000 mark and the 11th straight month of on-year growth since last July.

The country's total fertility rate, the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, also rose by 0.02 from a year earlier to 0.75 in May.

"The rise in births appears to be influenced by a continued increase in marriages and the growth in the population of women in their early 30s," an official at Statistics Korea said.

South Korea formally joined the ranks of "super-aged" nations in late 2023, with 20% of its population aged 65 or older, with women accounting for the majority of this demographic.

The nation continues to face challenges linked to an aging population and declining birth rates as many young adults delay or forgo marriage and parenthood.

In response, the government has implemented measures to reverse the trend, including marriage incentives, expanded childcare support, and financial benefits for newlyweds.