In 2024, the birth rate in South Korea stood at 0.75 births per woman. The country has long struggled with a declining birth rate, dropping below one birth per woman in 2018.

In 2023, the total fertility rate in South Korea decreased by 0.1 children per woman (-12.82 percent) compared to 2022. Therefore, the fertility rate in South Korea saw its lowest number in that year with 0.72 children per woman. The total fertility rate is the average number of children that a woman of childbearing age (generally considered 15 to 44 years) can hypothetically expect to have throughout her reproductive years. As fertility rates are estimates (similar to life expectancy), they refer to a hypothetical woman or cohort, and estimates assume that current age-specific fertility trends would remain constant throughout this person's reproductive years.Find more statistics on other topics about South Korea with key insights such as total life expectancy at birth, age dependency ratio, and infant mortality rate.

Graph and download economic data for Fertility Rate, Total for the Republic of Korea (SPDYNTFRTINKOR) from 1960 to 2023 about fertility, Korea, and rate.

In 1900, the fertility rate in the region of present-day South Korea was six children per woman, meaning that the average woman born in South Korea in that year could expect to have six children over the course of their reproductive years. This number began to fluctuate in the 1930s, when the Japanese administration (the Korean peninsula had been annexed by Japan in 1910) promoted fertility as part of the war effort, before fertility dropped below 5.2 births per woman in the aftermath of the war. It then increased above 6.3 in the 1950s due to the devastation and mass-displacement caused by the Korean War. As stability returned to the region, South Korea's fertility rate would fall sharply throughout the remainder of the century, as modernization, urbanization, and the implementation of family planning programs would see fertility fall to just over 1.5 children per woman by 1990.

Sex-selective abortion and gender ratios Abortion was illegal in South Korea between 1953 and 2020, although it was permitted in some cases from 1973 onward. Despite this, these laws were rarely enforced, and sex-selective abortion became widespread following advancements in ultrasound technology. In many Asian societies, it was often preferred to have male children as they were viewed as being better long-term providers for their parents and they would carry on the family name. In South Korea in the early 1990s, the practice of sex-selective abortion became so widespread that the gender ratio at birth was 114 males for every 100 females (reportedly as high as 125 in some cities), compared to the historical and natural average of approximately 105 males per 100 females. The government then prohibited doctors from revealing the gender of unborn babies to the parents in 1987, and introduced more severe penalties in 1994, in an attempt to revert this trend. The gender imbalance then reduced in the following decades, and has been at 106 males per 100 females since the 2010s (roughly the natural average). Abortion rights in South Korea were expanded in 2021.

Lowest in the world? Despite government initiatives aimed at increasing fertility, including financial incentives, South Korea's fertility rate has continued to fall in recent years, and today is at around half of replacement level. In 2020, it is estimated that the average woman born in South Korea will have just over one child over the course of their reproductive years. Some critics cite economic factors, such as high education and housing costs, for the reason that young couples are postponing marriage and having families; today, South Korea has the lowest adolescent fertility rate, and the lowest overall fertility rate in the Asia Pacific region. Due to the current trajectory of South Korea's fertility rate, in January 2021, it was announced that the South Korean population experienced a natural decline for the first time in it's history.

In 1900, the crude birth rate in South Korea was just under 42 births for every thousand people, meaning that approximately 4.2 percent of the population was born in that year. The crude birth rate would rise briefly in the 1930s, as Japanese investment would lead to economic growth on the peninsula, but would fall sharply in the 1940s, as the Second World War and the Korean War would result in two decades of significant socio-economic turmoil. While the crude birth rate would recover quickly after the end of the Korean War in 1953, a sharp decline in fertility beginning in the 1960s would see a corresponding fall in the crude birth rate lasting until the late 1980s, as South Korea would go through a rapid demographic transition and modernization. While the crude birth rate would briefly rise in the early 1990s, partially due to governmental restrictions on sex-selective abortion; the rate of decline would slow going into the 21st century. As a result, in 2020, it is estimated that South Korea has a birth rate of seven births for every thousand people, which is one of the lowest birth rates in the world.

United States - Crude Birth Rate for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was 12.94700 Births per 1,000 People in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Crude Birth Rate for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea reached a record high of 37.77400 in January of 1968 and a record low of 12.94700 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Crude Birth Rate for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

The crude birth rate in South Korea decreased by 0.4 live births per 1,000 inhabitants (-8.16 percent) compared to the previous year. This marks the lowest rate during the observed period. The crude birth rate is the annual number of live births divided by the total population, expressed per 1,000 people.Find more statistics on other topics about South Korea with key insights such as total fertility rate, total life expectancy at birth, and infant mortality rate.

Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people) in North Korea was reported at 12.95 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. North Korea - Birth rate, crude - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on May of 2025.

In 2023, the number of births in South Korea stood at 230,028, recording the lowest figure during the given period. Around two decades earlier, this number was twice as high. Declining fertility in South Korea A phenomenon that most East Asian countries and territories grapple with is a stark decline in fertility rates. This is especially evident in South Korea, which has the lowest fertility rate in the world, far below the 2.1 children per woman threshold that represents replacement fertility. In response to the expected economic consequences of a declining population, South Korea has implemented various initiatives to encourage married couples to have children. Factors contributing to low birth rates in South Korea One major element is the societal change in attitudes toward childbirth. In a survey, half of South Korean respondents asserted that marriages can be happy without children, and a sizeable share also stated that having children was dependent on economic factors. In addition, an increasing number of South Koreans are choosing not to get married – In 2023, South Korea recorded one of the lowest numbers of marriages in its history. Furthermore, there has been a growing trend among South Korean women to prioritize their financial independence and career continuity over traditional childbearing expectations.

This scatter chart displays female population (people) against birth rate (per 1,000 people) in Korea. The data is about countries per year.

Graph and download economic data for Crude Birth Rate for the Republic of Korea (SPDYNCBRTINKOR) from 1960 to 2022 about birth, Korea, crude, and rate.

Korea Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff: % of Total data was reported at 100.000 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 99.800 % for 2012. Korea Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff: % of Total data is updated yearly, averaging 99.800 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 9 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 100.000 % in 2015 and a record low of 97.900 % in 1991. Korea Births Attended by Skilled Health Staff: % of Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Births attended by skilled health staff are the percentage of deliveries attended by personnel trained to give the necessary supervision, care, and advice to women during pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period; to conduct deliveries on their own; and to care for newborns.; ; UNICEF, State of the World's Children, Childinfo, and Demographic and Health Surveys.; Weighted average; Assistance by trained professionals during birth reduces the incidence of maternal deaths during childbirth. The share of births attended by skilled health staff is an indicator of a health system’s ability to provide adequate care for pregnant women.

This scatter chart displays median age (year) against birth rate (per 1,000 people) in Korea. The data is about countries per year.

This scatter chart displays net migration (people) against fertility rate (births per woman) in Korea. The data is about countries per year.

In 2022, the fertility rate among women between the ages of 30 and 34 years in South Korea stood at around 73.5 births per 1,000 women. This was the most fertile age range that year, followed by women in their late thirties and late twenties.

This scatter chart displays fertility rate (births per woman) against tax revenue (% of GDP) in Korea. The data is filtered where the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.

This scatter chart displays birth rate (per 1,000 people) against urban population living in areas where elevation is below 5 meters (% of total population) and is filtered where the country is Korea. The data is about countries per year.

North Korea KP: Completeness of Birth Registration: Rural data was reported at 100.000 % in 2009. This records an increase from the previous number of 98.500 % for 2000. North Korea KP: Completeness of Birth Registration: Rural data is updated yearly, averaging 99.250 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2009, with 2 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 100.000 % in 2009 and a record low of 98.500 % in 2000. North Korea KP: Completeness of Birth Registration: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s North Korea – Table KP.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Completeness of birth registration is the percentage of children under age 5 whose births were registered at the time of the survey. The numerator of completeness of birth registration includes children whose birth certificate was seen by the interviewer or whose mother or caretaker says the birth has been registered.; ; UNICEF's State of the World's Children based mostly on household surveys and ministry of health data.; ;

The crude birth rate in North Korea saw no significant changes in 2022 in comparison to the previous year 2021 and remained at around 13.06 live births per 1,000 inhabitants. Still, 2022 marked the third consecutive decline of the rate. The crude birth rate refers to the number of live births in a given year, expressed per 1,000 population. When studied in combination with the crude death rate, the rate of natural population increase can be determined.

Graph and download economic data for Adolescent Fertility Rate for the Republic of Korea (SPADOTFRTKOR) from 1960 to 2023 about 15 to 19 years, fertility, Korea, and rate.