In the first half of 2026, the number of births surpassed 140,000, marking the largest increase on record, driven by a rise in mothers in their 30s. However, the overall population has experienced a natural decline due to aging.
According to the National Data Agency's population trends report for June 2026, the cumulative number of births from January to June reached 145,804, a 15.4% increase compared to the previous year. This marks the ninth consecutive quarter of rising birth numbers since the second quarter of 2024.
Quarterly birth indicators continue to show improvement. In the second quarter of this year, the number of births was 70,791, the highest for a second quarter in seven years since 2019. The year-on-year growth rate was 15.8%, the highest recorded.
The total fertility rate, which indicates the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, was 0.88 in the second quarter, an increase of 0.11 from the same period last year. Birth rates among women aged 25-29 increased by 0.7, while those aged 30-34 and 35-39 saw increases of 11.0 and 10.7, respectively.
A representative from the data agency stated, "The recovery in marriage rates following the transition to an endemic phase of COVID-19, along with an increase in the population of women in their 30s, appears to be influencing these trends. Additionally, positive changes in perceptions about childbirth, as indicated by social surveys, are also contributing factors."
In the first half of this year, the number of deaths was recorded at 178,822, with the second quarter seeing an increase of 1,254 deaths (1.5%) compared to the previous year, totaling 85,772. This rise is attributed to ongoing aging in the population. Consequently, the overall population decreased by 33,018 in the first half of the year.
Marriage rates, a leading indicator of births, also increased. In the second quarter, the number of marriages reached 62,065, the highest since 2018, representing a 4.9% increase from the same period last year. This marks the tenth consecutive quarter of growth since the first quarter of 2024.
The data agency noted, "The increase in the population of women in their early 30s and positive changes in perceptions about marriage are likely influencing the rise in marriage rates. There may also be some effects from certain policies."
In June, the number of births was reported at 23,111, a 15.6% increase compared to the same month last year, marking the highest number in seven years and continuing a two-year upward trend. All regions reported increases in birth numbers, with Gyeonggi Province (6,915), Seoul (4,350), and Incheon (1,481) leading the counts.
The total fertility rate for June was 0.88, an increase of 0.11 from the previous year. The composition of births by order showed a 2.3 percentage point increase for firstborns, while second and third births decreased by 1.2 and 1.1 percentage points, respectively.
However, the number of deaths reached an all-time high. In June, the death toll was 27,794, an increase of 550 (2.0%) from the previous year.
June also saw a 14.0% increase in marriages, totaling 21,075, the highest growth rate for June since 2017. The number of marriages has been on the rise for 27 consecutive months since February 2024.
According to the domestic population movement statistics released on the same day for July 2026, the number of domestic movers was 468,000, a 15.5% decrease from the same period last year. The mobility rate, which indicates the number of movers per 100 people, was 10.8%, down 2.0 percentage points from the previous year.
Intra-city movements accounted for 66.1%, while inter-city movements made up 33.9%. The regions with the highest net migration were Gyeonggi Province (5,106), Incheon (2,547), and Chungnam (704). In contrast, Seoul experienced a net outflow of 6,108, with 10 other regions, including Gyeongnam (-813) and Busan (-661), also reporting net outflows.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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