South Korea recorded a 15.6 per cent year-on-year rise in births in June, the highest growth since records began in 1981. Births have increased for 24 consecutive months, driven by recovering marriages and improved attitudes toward having children, though fertility remains low
Elon Musk has highlighted India's declining fertility rate after data showed the country's total fertility rate fell to 1.9 births per woman, below replacement level. Experts cite urbanisation, education and changing family preferences as key factors behind the trend.
Data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare revealed a stark decline in births last year, with only 727,277 recorded in a nation with a population of 123.9 million.
Among 217 countries and regions, including the OECD member nations, Korea marked the second-lowest birth rate after Hong Kong with 0.77, the BOK report said.