In 2024, the number of babies born in South Korea increased for the first time in nine years. The change is welcome news for a country that is dealing with serious population problems.2024年，韩国出生的婴儿人数九年来首次增加。 对于一个正在处理严重人口问题的国家来说，这一变化是可喜的消息。

South Korea’s statistics agency said recently that 238,300 babies were born last year, an increase of 8,300 from a year earlier.韩国统计局最近表示，去年有238,300名婴儿出生，比去年同期增加了8300名。

The agency said the country’s fertility rate — the average number of babies born to each woman in her reproductive years — was 0.75 in 2024, up from 0.72 in 2023.该机构表示，该国的生育率 - 在生殖年中每个妇女出生的婴儿的平均数量 - 2024年为0.75，高于2023年的0.72。

The data represents the first time that the yearly number of births has increased since 2015.数据代表自2015年以来每年的出生人数首次增加。

Choi Yoon Kyung is an expert with the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education. Choi told the Associated Press that researchers must wait for more data over the next few years to see if increased births were driven by “structural changes.”Choi Yoon Kyung是韩国儿童保育和教育研究所的专家。 崔告诉美联社，研究人员必须在接下来的几年中等待更多数据，以查看增加的出生是否是由“结构性变化”驱动的。

Park Hyun Jung is with the government agency Statistics Korea. Park said the agency believes the rise is partly due to an increase in marriages following postponements of such plans during the COVID-19 pandemic.公园贤荣（Park Hyun Jung）与韩国政府机构统计局一起。 帕克说，该机构认为，这一崛起的部分原因是婚姻推迟在19009年大流行期间婚姻的增加。

Park said another reason for the increase is that a growing number of people entered their early 30s. She also noted a government study that shows a small increase in the number of young people hoping to have children after marriage.帕克说，增加的另一个原因是越来越多的人进入了30多岁。 她还指出，一项政府研究表明，希望结婚后生孩子的年轻人数量少了。

Official data show South Korea’s fertility rate has been the lowest in the developed world in recent years. In 2022, South Korea was the only country with a fertility rate below one, among members of the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.官方数据显示，韩国的生育率近年来一直是发达国家的最低水平。 2022年，韩国是总部位于巴黎的经济合作与发展组织成员中唯一一个低于生育率的国家。

The low fertility rate could threaten South Korea’s economic health. The country, Asia’s fourth largest economy, could face labor shortages and greater spending on public assistance programs. South Korea’s central and local governments have been increasingly offering several support programs to those who give birth to children.低生育率可能威胁到韩国的经济健康。 该国是亚洲第四大经济体，可能面临劳动力短缺和在公共援助计划上的支出。 韩国的中央和地方政府越来越多地向那些生下儿童的人提供几个支持计划。

But experts say that it will be difficult to solve the country’s population problems. Many young people say they do not want to have babies. Their reasons include costly housing, low levels of upward social movement, the high costs of raising and educating children, and a culture that requires women to do more of the childcare.但是专家说，解决该国的人口问题将很难。 许多年轻人说他们不想生婴儿。 他们的原因包括昂贵的住房，较低的向上社会运动，养育和教育儿童的高昂成本以及一种要求妇女做更多育儿的文化。

Park said that the fertility rate will likely stay on an upward movement at least for another year. But observers say it remains to be seen whether the rate will go back down as post-pandemic marriages even out. The country’s population structure will also change, with a drop in the number of people in their early 30s.帕克说，生育率至少可能会持续一年。 但是观察者说，随着大流行后的婚姻甚至均匀的婚姻，这一比率是否会降低。 该国的人口结构也将发生变化，30多岁的人数减少。

Some experts argue that the government should pay more attention to supporting young couples who want to have babies.一些专家认为，政府应该更加关注支持婴儿的年轻夫妇。

“There are still people with solid wills to have a family and babies. When we help them realize their hopes, our fertility rate won’t suffer a steep, 45-degree drop,” Choi said.崔说：“仍然有稳固的遗嘱拥有一个家庭和婴儿。当我们帮助他们意识到自己的希望时，我们的生育率不会遭受陡峭的45度下降。”