South Korea's birth rate rebounded sharply in March as the growth rate in newborns hit a record high. Marriages, considered a leading indicator of births, also reached their highest level in eight years.
The number of newborns in March stood at 25,200, up 4,088, or 19.4%, from a year earlier, according to the "March 2026 Population Trends" report released by the National Data Agency on Monday. The growth rate was the highest for any March since related statistics began, while the increase in volume was the largest in 33 years.
The number of births in March was the highest in seven years. Newborns have risen on a year-on-year basis for 21 consecutive months since July 2024.
The total fertility rate also rose sharply. The March fertility rate reached 0.93, up 0.15 from 0.78 in the same month last year. It marked the largest monthly increase on record.
The rise was particularly pronounced among women in their early and late 30s, the core childbearing age groups. The birth rate among women in their early 30s increased by 15.6 from a year earlier, while that for women in their late 30s rose by 5.5.
By birth order, the share of first children expanded. The proportion of first children rose to 63.0%, up 2.4 percentage points from a year earlier, while the share of second, third, and subsequent children declined.
The rebound continued on a quarterly basis as well. The number of births in the first quarter this year was 75,013, up 14.8% from the same period last year. This marked eight consecutive quarters of growth since the second quarter of 2024.
The continued rise in marriages suggests the recovery in births is likely to persist. Marriages in March numbered 21,112, up 10.1% from a year earlier. It was the highest level for any March since 2018. Increases in marriage rates were significant among both men and women in their late 20s and early 30s.
The government views recent positive shifts in attitudes toward marriage and childbirth as a contributing factor. "The continued increase in marriages over the past two years is a positive signal for rising births," a National Data Agency official said. "It appears to be the combined result of population growth among those in their early 30s, policy effects, and changing perceptions of marriage and childbirth."
However, the natural population decline has not been reversed. The number of deaths in March was 31,423, exceeding the 25,200 newborns, resulting in a natural decline of 6,224. The natural decline has continued for 77 consecutive months. Only Seoul, Sejong, and Gyeonggi recorded natural increases, while all other cities and provinces remained in natural decline.
