South Korea's birth rate has shown signs of recovery, increasing for the second consecutive year in 2025 as government data indicates a total fertility rate of 0.80, up from 0.75 in 2024. This growth comes after a significant decline over the past decade, where the country faced a demographic crisis, including a record low fertility rate of 0.72 in 2023. Alongside this improvement, the recent post-pandemic period and favorable government policies appear to be contributing factors to the increase in births.

The increase in births is modest, with 5 new births per 1,000 inhabitants in 2025, compared to 4.7 in the previous year of 2024. For context, although these figures show an encouraging trend, countries with significant birth rate challenges like China, Taiwan, and Japan still report higher averages. For example, China documented 5.6 births per 1,000 in the previous year, while Japan's figure was higher at 5.7 in 2024. This situation illustrates that the demographic challenges facing South Korea remain pronounced, even with an upward trajectory in birth rates.

As South Korea continues to tackle its demographic issues, the ongoing governmental policies aimed at encouraging families to have more children may create lasting impacts. Should the rising trend continue, it could potentially alleviate the pressing concerns related to an aging population and workforce shortages. However, substantial efforts are needed to sustain and build upon this momentum, given the broader regional context of similarly low birth rates in East Asia, pointing to a systemic challenge that transcends national boundaries.