S. Korea's July births hit 7-year high amid growing marriages

SEOUL, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's births hit the highest for July in seven years amid growing marriages, statistical ministry data showed Wednesday.

People enjoy the autumn scenery at a Park in Seoul, South Korea, Nov. 9, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua)

The number of newborn babies gained 11.1 percent from a year earlier to 24,275 in July, marking the largest number of births for any July since 2019, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics.

Newborn numbers have continued to rise in double digits since January, keeping an upward trajectory for 25 straight months since July 2024.

For the first seven months of 2026, a total of 170,079 babies were born, up 14.7 percent from a year earlier.

The total fertility rate, or the number of children a woman is expected to bear during life, added 0.08 over the year to 0.89 in July.

The positive trend was driven by an increase in marriages over the past two years, an expanding population in their 30s, and shifting social perceptions toward having children.

The number of marriages mounted 9.3 percent from a year earlier to 22,282 in July, achieving the highest July figure since 2015. The number of divorces edged down 0.8 percent to 7,764.

The number of deaths grew 3.0 percent to 28,921 in July compared to the same month of last year.

As deaths still outnumbered newborns, the natural population decline stood at 4,647 in the cited month.