The birth rate from January to May this year has recorded the highest increase ever. It jumped nearly 7% compared to last year. However, given that the number of births is declining, the overall number of births is the third lowest in history.
According to the ‘May Population Trends’ report released by the Statistics Korea on the 23rd, the number of births from January to May this year is 106,048, which is a 6.9% increase compared to the same period last year. This is the highest increase since statistics were compiled in 1981. Looking only at May, the number of births for that month rose by 3.8% to 20,309 compared to the same period last year.
Although the increase in the birth rate from January to May is the highest on record, the actual figure is not the largest. It is the third lowest number after 2024 (99,194 births) and 2023 (101,965 births).
The total fertility rate, which represents the number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, is 0.75, an increase of 0.02 compared to the same period last year. The monthly tally for the total fertility rate began this year, and it has risen for five consecutive months compared to the same month last year.
By region, the number of births increased in 12 regions, including Seoul and Daegu, while it decreased in five regions, including Busan and Daejeon. The Statistics Korea explained that the increase in the number of births is due to an increase in marriage rates and the growth in the female population in their early 30s.
The number of deaths in May was 28,510, a decrease of 0.0% (7 people) compared to the same month last year. Deaths increased in eight regions, including Seoul and Daegu, while they decreased in nine regions, including Busan and Incheon. With the number of deaths surpassing the number of births, the population naturally decreased by 8,202.
The number of marriages in May was 21,761, an increase of 4.0% compared to the same month last year. This figure rose in seven regions, including Seoul and Gwangju, while it decreased in 10 regions, including Busan and Daegu.
Additionally, the number of divorces in May was 7,413, a decrease of 6.4% compared to the same month last year. By region, divorces increased in four regions, including Busan and Ulsan, while they decreased in 13 regions, including Seoul and Ulsan.
Meanwhile, the number of domestic migrants in June reached its highest level in four years as of June. This is attributed to the increase in sales of dwellings and the completion of apartments.
Last month, the number of domestic migrants was 478,000, an increase of 8.6% compared to the same month last year. This is the highest level since 2021 (544,000).
The population mobility rate, which refers to the number of migrants per 100 people, is 11.4%, up 0.9 percentage points from June last year.
By region, the population experienced a net outflow in areas such as Seoul (-2,676), Busan (-868), and Gyeongnam (-722). Seoul has seen a net outflow for three consecutive months since April. Conversely, six regions, including Gyeonggi (4,120), Incheon (2,278), and Chungnam (504), have experienced a net inflow.