South Korea, which has been plagued by a declining birthrate, saw its birth rate increase for the first time in nine years last year. What was behind this?

It has been reported that the number of births in South Korea last year increased for the first time in nine years. The number of births was 242,334, an increase of 7,295 (3.1%) from the previous year.
The average number of children a woman will have in her lifetime was 0.72, a new record low, and the declining birthrate has become a major social issue. What is behind the rise in the birthrate in this situation?
South Korea's birth rate fell below 2 for the first time in 1984, hitting 1.74. In the 2000s, it fluctuated between 1.1 and 1.3, before finally falling below 1 in 2018 to 0.98.
Among the member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), only South Korea has a birth rate below 1. The rate has not been curbed since 2018, reaching 0.84 in 2020, 0.81 in 2021, and 0.82 in 2022.
In 2022, it will be 0.78, and in 2023, it will reach a new low of 0.72. The main reason for the declining birthrate is said to be the decrease in the number of people getting married.
In Korea, where it is difficult to find employment due to the high income level, the gap between rich and poor has widened as a result of fierce competition, and there are many cases where people are unable to take the plunge into marriage or childbirth due to financial insecurity.
In Korea, the idea that child rearing is the mother's job still remains, and people worry that if they get married, they will have to shoulder the burden of child rearing and housework all at once.
Some women are said to be hesitant to get married due to concerns. Also, as lifestyles become more diverse, some women choose not to get married, and this is also a value that should be respected in this day and age.
It is also true that the declining birthrate has been a major social issue in South Korea since the early 2000s.
The government has been working on this issue since taking office in 2022. The government has been working on this issue since taking office in 2022. In June last year, the government launched the "Low Birthrate and Elderly Care" initiative, which is led by Yoon.
The National Assembly of Korea held a "National Social Committee" and declared a "national demographic emergency." In addition, in September last year, the National Assembly of Korea passed three laws to support child-rearing (the Act on Gender Equality in Employment and Support for Balancing Work and Family, the Employment Insurance Act, and the Labor Standards Act).
In order to reverse the declining birthrate, the government has established a system to promote measures to support the balance between work and family life, such as extending childcare leave and expanding maternity leave for spouses.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety of South Korea announced on the 3rd of this month that the number of births last year increased for the first time in nine years in population statistics for 2024 based on resident registration.
State news agency Yonhap News reported that "there is a view that this is a sign of change in South Korea's population structure, which has been rapidly aging and declining in birthrates."
According to the Chosun Ilbo, Professor Seok Jae-eun of the Department of Social Welfare at Hanlim University told the paper, "The government and
"Local governments and other organizations have implemented measures to combat the declining birthrate, and the perception that 'it's a waste to have children' is gradually changing," he said.
The city announced a bold child-rearing support measure to provide 100 million won (about 10.6 million yen) to children born in the city until they reach the age of 18, which became a hot topic, but local governments and companies responded in rapid succession.
The city has launched a childbirth incentive policy. The number of newlywed couples moving into Incheon is said to be increasing. In addition, in Asian countries, there is a high correlation between marriage and childbirth, and the number of marriages last year increased by 1.2%.
The number of marriages in South Korea, which was 191,690 in 2022, is expected to increase by nearly 2,000 to 193,657 in 2023.
This was the first increase in 12 years since 2011. This was due to a growing positive attitude towards marriage. According to a survey conducted by the Statistics Bureau last year,
The percentage of people who think that "the elderly should be taken care of" was 52.5%, the highest in the past eight years. Meanwhile, according to the Chosun Ilbo, Lee Sam-sik, director of the Hanyang University Institute for Aging Studies, said, "There are serious concerns.
"It is difficult to say that the declining birthrate trend has been completely resolved," he said. "Couples who had postponed marriage and childbirth due to the COVID-19 outbreak have started having children, which has temporarily increased the birth rate.
"We should see this as an increase in the number of newborns," said Kim Min Jae, deputy minister for the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, according to Yonhap News Agency. "Relevant government agencies need to work together to improve the childcare environment and provide support from multiple angles so that the trend of increasing births can continue."
We need to provide some kind of support."