South Koreas birthrate rises for second year with experts saying echo boomers behind boost
Guardian14 hrs
South Korea Births Rise 6.8%, Fastest in 15 Years
Does South Korea's birth rate remain a catastrophic crisis or does the recent uptick show real demographic progress?
Above: A mother carries her baby at a Pregnancy and Maternity exhibition in Seoul, South Korea, on Feb. 17, 2005. Image credit: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
South Korea's fertility rate has risen for two consecutive years, reaching 0.8 in 2025 with 254,457 births — the highest in four years. This marks a significant turnaround from the persistent decline, showing real progress in reversing demographic trends.
Government-critical narrative
South Korea's birth rate remains a catastrophic crisis that signals civilizational collapse. With fertility at just 0.72 — one-third of the 2.1 needed for stability — the nation is watching itself go extinct in real time despite recent upticks.
Metaculus Prediction
Establishment split
CRITICAL
PRO
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0