Seoul: The number of babies born in South Korea surged at the fastest rate in 18 years during the first 11 months of last year, largely attributed to an increase in marriages, as per government data released on Wednesday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, a total of 233,708 babies were born between January and November 2025, marking a 6.2 percent rise from the same period the previous year. This represents the steepest year-on-year increase since 2007. The Ministry of Statistics indicated that the total number of newborns in 2025 is anticipated to continue its upward trajectory, potentially exceeding the 238,317 recorded in 2024.

In November alone, the number of births reached 20,710, a 3.1 percent increase from 20,083 in the prior year. This figure is the highest for November since 2019, when 23,727 babies were born. The ministry highlighted that birth rates are gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels, with an upward trend observed since July 2024.

The country's total fertility rate, which estimates the average number of children a woman is expected to have throughout her life, rose by 0.02 from the previous year to 0.79 in November. The ministry pointed out that the recent rise in births seems to be influenced by a sustained increase in marriages, supportive government policies, and the growing population of women in their early 30s.

In South Korea, where childbirth outside of marriage remains rare, an uptick in marriages typically precedes a rise in births. The number of marriages in November increased by 2.7 percent year-on-year to 19,079, marking the 20th consecutive month of growth. Conversely, divorces decreased by 9.8 percent to 6,890 in the same month, as per the data.

Additionally, the number of deaths increased by 4.9 percent from the previous year to 30,678, resulting in a natural population decline of 9,968.