The "Echo Boomer" Rebound.

In a rare piece of positive demographic news, the Ministry of Data and Statistics reported this month that South Korea’s birth rate has risen for the second consecutive year. The total fertility rate rose to 0.80, up from 0.72 in 2023. While still the lowest in the OECD, the 6.8% increase in total births (254,500) represents the largest annual jump in 15 years. Experts attribute this shift to "echo boomers"—the large cohort born between 1991 and 1995—who are now entering their early thirties and starting families after pandemic-related delays.The rise is also being linked to aggressive private-sector policies; several major corporations now offer up to 100 million won ($75,000) in direct cash bonuses per child born to employees.

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