The number of newborns for June, the second quarter, and the first half of this year all reached their highest levels in seven years.

As the upward trend in the number of newborns continues, attention is focused on whether the annual total fertility rate will recover to the 0.9 range this year for the first time in seven years.

According to the June Population Trends released by the Statistics Korea today (the 26th), the number of newborns in June stood at 23,111, an increase of 3,115 (15.6%) compared to the same month last year.

This marks an increase for the 24th consecutive month compared to the same month of previous years.

This is the largest scale for the month of June in seven years, following nine years of decline since 2015 and subsequent increases for two consecutive years.

The growth rate for June was the highest on record since statistics began in 1981, and the increase in volume was the largest since 1992 (3,666 newborns).

The total fertility rate for June rose by 0.11 to 0.88.

Newborns in the second quarter of this year totaled 70,791, up 9,675 (15.8%) from a year earlier.

The growth rate was the highest on record.

The total volume was the largest for the second quarter in seven years since 2019.

The upward streak in the number of newborns has continued for nine quarters starting from the second quarter of 2024.

The total fertility rate for the second quarter (the average number of children a woman is expected to give birth to in her lifetime) was 0.88, an increase of 0.11 from a year ago.

This is the highest level since the second quarter of 2019.

Cumulative newborns in the first half of this year reached 145,804, an increase of 19,430 (15.4%).

The scale is the highest in seven years since 2019.

Both the increase in volume and the growth rate are the highest on record.

The number of marriages, a leading indicator of childbirth, rose by 2,593 (14.0%) to 21,075 in June.

This recorded the highest for the month of June since 2017.

Marriages in the second quarter reached 62,065, an increase of 2,904 (4.9%).

This is the highest figure for the second quarter since 2018.

The number of marriages has increased compared to the same period last year for 10 consecutive quarters starting from the first quarter of 2024.

An official from Statistics Korea analyzed, "The causes of the increase in newborns are the rise in marriages recovering since May 2023 when the transition to the endemic occurred, and the increase in the female population in their 30s," adding, "Changes in positive perceptions toward marriage and childbirth shown in social surveys also had a complex effect."

Regarding the question of whether this year's annual total fertility rate can recover to the 0.9 range, the official forecasted, "Looking at 2024 and 2025, unlike previous patterns, there were more births in the second half than the first half," and added, "If this pattern continues, I think it might happen, but we need to watch a bit more."

The number of divorces in June was 7,688, up 916 (13.5%) from a year earlier.

Divorces in the second quarter totaled 22,639, an increase of 1,157 (5.4%) compared to a year ago.

The number of deaths in June rose by 550 (2.0%) to 27,794.

The number of deaths is the highest on record for the month of June.

The number of deaths in the second quarter was 85,772, an increase of 1,254 (1.5%) from the same quarter last year.