ISTANBUL

South Korea saw its fastest-ever growth in births for the month of June, Yonhap News reported Wednesday, citing official data from Statistics Korea.

A total of 19,953 babies were born in June, up 9.4% from the same month last year, marking the steepest year-on-year increase for any June since 1981, when the agency began compiling relevant data.

June also marked the 12th consecutive month of growth, although the monthly number of newborns fell below 20,000 for the first time in three months.

The country’s total fertility rate rose from 0.70 to 0.76 in June, largely due to increased childbirths among women aged 35–39.

In April, May, and June combined, the number of newborns increased by 7.3% year-on-year to 60,979, also marking the highest growth rate for any Q2 since 1981.

During the first half of 2025, the country recorded a 7.4% rise in births compared to the same period last year, making it the highest first-half increase on record.

Despite rising births, South Korea’s total population continues to shrink due to increasing deaths.

In June, 27,270 people died, up 1.5% from a year earlier, resulting in a population decline of 7,317. In the second quarter, deaths grew 0.7% to 84,565, leading to a population decrease of 23,586.