Childbirths and marriages in Seoul have increased for 12 consecutive months, bucking the national trend as South Korea grapples with one of the world’s lowest birth rates.
The official figure for newborn babies in Seoul in March reached 3,786, an 8.7 percent increase from the same period a year earlier, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
The city government explained that the figure was the highest number of monthly childbirths since March 2022, which 4,027 babies born.
The number of marriages also increased to 3,814, up 20 percent from the same period last year.
The city government added that Seoul has seen a continuous increase in monthly childbirths and marriages for 12 consecutive months since April 2024. This led its fertility rate to stand at 0.65 birth per woman over her lifetime for the first quarter of this year — an 8.3 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
The city government attributed the rising number of births and marriages to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing support for newborn babies and various measures to reverse the declining birth rate.
Since 2023, the city has been offering subsidies for fertility treatment to all couples experiencing infertility, regardless of income. Pregnant women living in Seoul can also receive a 700,000 won ($514) transportation subsidy to cover taxi, bus and subway fares.
While launching a half-price discount mall for child care products, the city government began the country’s first housing subsidy program for the childbearing couples without homes in May.
The initiative allows households to receive monthly support of up to 300,00 won to cover housing costs for two years.
The city government explained that the eligible households are those who gave birth this year, earn no more than 180 percent of the median income, live in rental housing using a Korean lump-sum “jeonse” deposit of up to 300 million won or a monthly rent of up to 1.3 million won.
sj_lee@heraldcorp.com
