38% of Korean counties have fewer than 10 births per year

South Korea’s birth rate has sharply declined in recent years. In 2024, nearly 38% of the country’s cities and counties recorded fewer than 10 births in a year.

This is due to population decline and overall drop in births, with rural areas hit hardest by the absence of maternity facilities.

According to the Health Insurance Review Service, there were 237,484 births nationwide in hospitals and midwifery centers last year.