Fertility Rate Climbs to 0.88 in South Korea Amid Marriage Upswing

The fertility rate in South Korea rose to 0.88 in June 2024, up by 0.11 points from the same month last year. The Ministry of Data and Statistics linked the improvement to a rise in wedding ceremonies – 21,075 couples tied the knot in June, a 14 percent increase over 2023 – and a growing number of women aged around 30 entering the marriage market. Officials noted that the post‑pandemic period has seen a steady climb in both marriages and births, suggesting a shift in societal attitudes toward family formation.