South Korea's birth rate is projected to have increased in 2024 for the first time in nine years but show significant regional differences, Yonhap reported.
The number of newborns between January and November reached 220,094, up 3 percent from a year earlier, according to data compiled by Statistics Korea. This follows a 7.7 percent on-year drop in 2023, which extended the decline for an eighth consecutive year.
The data revealed that the number of births in Seoul and other metropolitan areas has surpassed the previous year's figures, while other regions have seen relatively weaker growth.
The number of births in Seoul maintained an upward trend throughout last year, except for slight dips in January and March. Notably, the city recorded double-digit growth in births for three consecutive months starting in September.
Similarly, Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds the capital, also experienced double-digit growth in birth rates during the three months from September to November.
In contrast, the growth rates for North Chungcheong Province and the southern island of Jeju were comparatively modest, recording on-year increases of 3.1 percent and 6 percent in November, respectively.
The agency attributed the regional differences to the fact that newlyweds and people in their 20s and 30s tend to reside predominantly in metropolitan areas.
South Korea has long struggled with a declining birth rate as many young people opt to delay or forgo marriage and parenthood. In response, the government has introduced various policies to encourage marriage and support child-rearing, including benefits for newlyweds and expanded child care assistance.