South Korea births surge to fastest rate in a generation

South Korea’s birthrate has risen at its fastest rate since 1991, though its overall population trajectory remains at crisis levels. Photograph: Westend61/Getty Images

South Korea’s birthrate surged at its fastest pace in more than three decades in April, offering tentative signs of recovery in a country grappling with the world’s lowest fertility rate, official data showed.

The number of babies born in April reached 20,717, marking an 8.7% increase from the same month last year and the steepest monthly growth since April 1991, according to Statistics Korea.