SEOUL, South Korea: For the first time in nine years, South Korea recorded a rise in births, offering a rare positive sign in the country's ongoing demographic crisis.

According to Statistics Korea, 238,300 babies were born in 2024—8,300 more than the previous year. The country's fertility rate also increased to 0.75, up from 0.72 in 2023. While still the lowest among developed nations, it marks a potential shift after years of steady decline.

Experts point to multiple factors behind the unexpected rebound.

Choi Yoon Kyung from the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education called the rise "considerably meaningful", but cautioned that it remains unclear whether this is a temporary fluctuation or a long-term trend.

Park Hyun Jung, a senior official at Statistics Korea, suggested the increase was partly due to a rise in marriages delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also noted that more people have entered their early 30s, a key childbearing age, and surveys indicate a slight increase in young people willing to have children after marriage.

Despite the modest rise, South Korea remains the only country in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development with a fertility rate below 1.0.

A declining birthrate poses serious economic risks, including labor shortages and increasing welfare costs. To counteract this, the government has introduced financial incentives and childcare support programs.

However, experts argue that deep-rooted social issues make it difficult to encourage more births. High housing costs, intense academic pressures, work-life imbalance, and gender expectations remain major deterrents for young couples considering parenthood.

While officials believe the fertility rate may continue rising for another year, concerns remain over whether the increase will last. The number of people in their early 30s will eventually decline, and once post-pandemic marriages stabilize, the birthrate may drop again.

Some experts advocate for targeted policies that focus on helping couples who already want children rather than broad social reforms.

"There are still people who strongly want a family," said Choi. "If we support them properly, we can slow the steep decline."