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Korea saw a rise in registered births in 2024 for the first time in nearly a decade, suggesting a possible shift in the nation's demographic trend. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on Friday that 242,334 births were registered last year, reflecting a 3.1 percent increase from 2023 and breaking an eight-year streak of continuous declines.

"While our population has been decreasing for five consecutive years, the increase in registered births for the first time in nine years is a positive sign," said Kim Min-jae, deputy minister of the interior and safety. "To sustain this reversal in birth trends, it is essential for relevant agencies to collaborate on improving childcare conditions and devising multifaceted support measures."

In 2024, male births (123,923) outnumbered female births (118,411) by 5,512. However, despite the increase in births, natural population decline persisted, as deaths rose to 360,757, marking a 1.93 percent increase from the previous year. The resulting population decrease slightly narrowed to 118,423, compared to 118,881 in 2023.

Korea's total registered population reached 51.21 million in 2024, marking the fifth consecutive year of decline. Women (25.71 million) continued to outnumber men (25.49 million) by 220,573, with the gender gap steadily widening since 2015. The average age of the population rose to 45.3 years, highlighting the country's ongoing demographic shift toward an aging society.

The largest proportion of the population in Korea was individuals in their 50s, who made up 17 percent, followed by those in their 60s (15.27 percent) and 40s (15.08 percent). In contrast, children under 10 represented only 6.13 percent of the population. The elderly population (65 years and older) increased by 5.41 percent, reaching 10.25 million, nearly double the youth population (0–14 years), which declined by 3.52 percent to 5.46 million. The working-age population (15–64 years) also saw a decrease of 1.21 percent, dropping to 35.49 million.

By proportion, the elderly accounted for 20.03 percent of the total population, surpassing the youth population, which stood at 10.67 percent. The working-age group remained the largest at 69.30 percent, but its ongoing decline underscores growing challenges for economic sustainability..

Government officials acknowledge that while the rebound in births is promising, significant challenges remain. Policies to improve childcare support, reduce economic burdens on families, and encourage work-life balance are seen as crucial to reversing Korea's declining fertility trend over the long term.