{
  "id": 9263478,
  "title": "Births up 11% in July, extending gains to 25th consecutive month",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/births-up-11-in-july-extending-gains-to-25th-consecutive-month-9263478",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-23T04:12:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/society/20260923/births-up-11-in-july-extending-gains-to-25th-consecutive-month"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In July 2024, the number of babies born in South Korea surged by 11.1 percent compared to the same month a year ago, according to government data. This marks the 25th consecutive month of increasing birth rates, with 24,275 newborns recorded in July. This figure is the highest for any July since 2019, when 25,222 babies were born. The total fertility rate, representing the average number of children a woman is expected to have, also rose to 0.89 in July from 0.81 a year earlier. While this rate is still below the 2.1 needed for population stability without immigration, it represents an improvement. The upward trend in births has persisted since July 2024, with 170,079 babies born between January and July 2024 - a 14.7 percent increase from the same period in 2023. The recent rise can be attributed to more marriages, a larger population in their 30s, and a more favorable societal attitude towards having children. July saw a 9.3 percent increase in marriages, totaling 22,282.",
  "summary": "The number of babies born in Korea rose 11.1 percent in July from a year earlier, marking the 25th consecutive month of increases, government data showed Wednesday. A total of 24,275 babies were born in July, up from 21,854 a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics. It marked the highest figure for any July since 25,222 recorded in 2019. The country's total fertility rate,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "Births up 11 pct in July, extending gains to 25th consecutive month",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/births-up-11-pct-in-july-extending-gains-to-25th-consecutive-month",
        "published": "2026-09-23T03:00:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Births up 11% in July, extending gains to 25th consecutive month",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/23/births-up-11-in-july-extending-gains-to-25th-consecutive-month",
        "published": "2026-09-23T03:52:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}