Seoul Newborns Increase for 26 Consecutive Months... Jan–May Births Up 18% from Last Year

The number of newborns in Seoul has increased for 26 consecutive months from April 2024 to May of this year.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the May Population Trends announced by the National Data Agency on the 29th of last month showed that the number of newborns in Seoul last May stood at 4,227, up 17.7% compared to the previous year.

The cumulative number of newborns in Seoul from January to May this year also increased by 18% compared to the same period last year.

The number of marriages, considered a leading indicator of childbirth, also grew by 11.1% over the same period, recording the highest growth rate among the 17 cities and provinces nationwide.

The city evaluated that a virtuous cycle in which increased marriages lead to the birth of new lives is clearly emerging in Seoul.

To sustain the upward trend in newborn numbers, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is reflecting the voices of those directly involved in pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting into its policies.

This morning, the city is holding the Seoul Child Empathy Talk at the Seoul Gallery in Seoul City Hall, with the participation of around 100 people, including pregnant women and guardians of infants and toddlers.

Under the theme "Every Moment of Meeting and Raising a Child," the event serves as a platform to share the most memorable moments during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as stories people wish to convey to their families.


Guardians who have directly used Seoul's low birth rate policies, such as Seoul-style kids' cafes and grandparent childcare allowances, will offer suggestions for improvement based on their experiences.

Following the event, Choi Sung-ae, director of the HD Happiness Institute and author of "Emotion Coaching for My Child," will give a lecture under the theme "Happy Parents Rather Than Perfect Parents."

This event was arranged to commemorate reaching 130,000 participants in Seoul's reading support project, "Mom Book Dodum."

Mom Book Dodum is a project that provides book packages containing parenting books, picture books, and Seoul childcare policy guide materials to expectant parents and households with infants and toddlers.

The overall participant satisfaction rate last year was 97.8%.

Ma Chae-sook, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Women and Family Bureau, said, "Based on the experiences and opinions regarding pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting shared at the empathy talk, we will pursue low birth rate response policies that citizens can truly feel, making Seoul a great place to give birth and raise children."

(Photo provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.