Newborn babies rest in the care room of a women's hospital in the Dongdaemun District of Seoul, Sept. 12. Yonhap

Childbirth and marriage rates in Korea have been increasing for several months, raising questions about whether this trend can be sustained as the country confronts a rapidly declining population.

The monthly census released by Statistics Korea, Wednesday, revealed that a total of 20,098 babies were born in August, marking a 5.9 percent increase compared to a year ago.

The August tally contributes to year-on-year increases in births since April, except for a brief pause in June.

The number of births increased by 2.8 percent in April and 2.7 percent in May, before dropping by 1.8 percent in June. It then surged by 7.9 percent in July and 5.9 percent in August.

In terms of marriages, the monthly data revealed that 17,527 couples tied the knot in August, representing a 20 percent increase compared to the previous year.

The August figure marks the fifth consecutive month of year-on-year increases in marriages, rising 24.6 percent in April, 21.6 percent in May, 5.6 percent in June, and 32.9 percent in July.

Statistics Korea assessed that the growth in the number of newborns may continue through the end of the year, citing a low base effect from last year. In 2023, the country experienced a decline in its total fertility rate for the eighth consecutive year, breaking its own record for the world's lowest birthrate, which dropped to 0.72. This figure represents the average number of babies a woman is expected to have during her lifetime.

The statistics agency also projected that the overall marriage rate may continue to rise throughout 2024.

It noted that the cumulative number of marriages from January to August increased by 12.2 percent, reaching a total of 146,403.

It also observed that the number of marriages increased slightly in 2023, rising 1 percent year-on-year to 194,000. This marks a small but significant turnaround after a decline for the previous 11 consecutive years.

Regarding factors beyond the base effect contributing to the increase in childbirth and marriage, an expert suggested that the government's campaign to create a favorable environment for marriage and childcare is likely yielding positive results.

"For the past one to two years, the government has implemented housing rules, lending policies, nursery programs, and other initiatives aimed at assisting those in prime age for marriage," said Yoo Jae-eon, a professor at the Department of Social Welfare at Gacheon University.

Citing his own research, the professor said he "senses a change in the mindsets of those in their 20s and 30s, realizing that marriage and childbirth are not detrimental to their lives after all."

However, some other experts remained cautious about concluding that the country is recovering from years of low rates in childbirth and marriage.

"For a convincing argument that these rates have fully recovered, we need to see the birthrate continue to rise for the next one to two years," said Lee Chul-hee, an economics professor at Seoul National University.

Lee Sam-sik, president of Korea Population Health and Welfare Association, echoed a similar view, saying, "A surprise growth in childbirths and marriages in recent months does not guarantee a long-term increase."