South Korea's births surge 13.6% in February, marking seven-year high

South Korea recorded 22,898 births in February 2026, a 13.6% increase representing the highest monthly total in seven years, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics. The surge was driven largely by women in their 30s, a demographic shift from South Korea's historically declining birth rate, which has remained around 0.9 for the second consecutive month. The uptick matters globally because South Korea faces one of the world's lowest fertility rates—a crisis affecting labor supply, pension sustainability, and economic growth that other aging developed nations increasingly confront. The February data suggests a potential inflection point in the country's demographic decline, though sustained growth remains uncertain.