Births Rise for 20th Consecutive Month, Share of Mothers in Their 30s Grows

The number of babies born in February increased by 13.6% compared to the previous year, marking the 20th consecutive month of growth. The number of births has been on an upward trend for 20 months since July 2024, with all regions experiencing an increase in births compared to the same month last year.

This marks the highest record in seven years since 2019, and births to mothers in their 30s have led this growth trend. The birth rate among women in their 30s led the increase, with the birth rate for ages 30-34 rising 9.1% year-on-year to 86.1%, and the birth rate for ages 35-39 increasing by 9.2% to 61.5%. The birth rate for women aged 40 and over also rose by 0.7% to 5.1%.

Park Hyun-jung, head of the Population Trends Division at the National Data Office, stated that the 22 consecutive months of increase in marriages appear to have influenced the birth rate. The proportion of firstborn children rose to 63.0%.