For the first time in nearly a decade, South Korea’s birthrate has increased. The country, which has the world’s lowest fertility rate, saw a rise in 2024. More couples got married after pandemic-related delays, and government policies to support families started showing results.

Society Shifts Towards Encouraging Parenthood

Many South Koreans now feel more encouraged to have children. Nam Hyun-jin, a 35-year-old mother, noticed a change in attitudes. “The society as a whole is encouraging childbirth more than five years ago when we had our first child,” she said.

Notably, businesses are also stepping up. For example, Nam’s employer, Booyoung, introduced a 100-million-won ($70,000) childbirth bonus last year. According to Nam, such financial support makes a significant difference for parents.

Addressing the Population Crisis

For years, South Korea’s birthrate remained the lowest worldwide. Many women prioritized careers over family due to high housing and childcare costs. Consequently, experts warned that the nation’s population of 51 million could shrink by half by 2100.

However, in 2024, the fertility rate increased to 0.75 from 0.72 in 2023. Though still the lowest globally, this marked the first rise in nine years. While the increase partly resulted from postponed pandemic marriages, experts believe government policies also played a major role.

Government and Businesses Take Action

The South Korean government has significantly invested in programs to support families. In 2024, the number of second-child births increased by 12%, while first-borns rose by 11%. Officials expect this upward trend to continue.

“There is a high possibility of further rises (in fertility rate) in coming years, and we are right at the inflection point,” said You Hye-mi, presidential secretary for population policy.

To address the crisis, former President Yoon Suk Yeol proposed a new ministry focused on demographic challenges. Although his impeachment halted some plans, the shift from short-term financial incentives to long-term structural reforms continues.

Strengthening Family Policies

Recently, the government expanded parental leave benefits. Now, both parents can take up to 1.5 years off, instead of just one year. Additionally, if both take leave, they receive full pay for six months, up from three months. Paternity leave also doubled from 10 days to 20 days.

Moreover, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) received financial support to pay employees during parental leave. Meanwhile, the government now requires listed companies to report childcare policies in regulatory filings.

Marriages Increase, Boosting Birthrate

Interestingly, marriage rates surged in 2024, increasing at the fastest pace ever recorded. Government data also showed that in 2024, 52.5% of South Koreans viewed marriage positively—the highest rate in a decade.

At the same time, Booyoung’s childbirth bonus led to more employees having children. Other companies, such as gaming giant Krafton, introduced similar incentives, including a 100-million-won childbirth bonus.

Challenges Still Remain

Despite these positive developments, concerns persist. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok emphasized the need for continuous effort. “We need to make sure to keep the spark alive, which was hard to make, by quickly filling in the blind spots of low-birth policies, such as freelancers and the self-employed.”

However, many young South Koreans remain reluctant to marry or have children. The rising cost of living and job instability are major concerns. “It is difficult and costs a lot of money to get married, have a baby, and start a family in Korean society,” said Kim Ha-ram, a 21-year-old student.

Although the government aims to raise the birthrate to 1.0 by 2030, experts warn that a fertility rate of 2.1 is needed for a stable population.

Corporate Support is Crucial

Another major challenge is job security. South Korea has one of the highest rates of temporary workers among developed nations. These workers often lack benefits, making it harder to start families.

Professor Shin Kyung-ah from Hallym University stressed the need for corporate change. “The gap is huge between big and small companies in South Korea, and between those employed permanently and temporarily, so the government needs to be more creative to have the system established for all.”

Similarly, Professor Jung Jae-hoon from Seoul Women’s University highlighted the need for businesses to complement government efforts. “Childcare systems are well established now at a society level through government investments, but we still need companies to change to become more family-friendly, which makes it a job half done.”