S. Korea saw fifth straight year of natural population decrease in 2024

South Korea saw a rebound in the number of births last year for the first time in nearly a decade, but the country's shrinking population remains a serious concern.

According to Statistics Korea, the population declined naturally by 1-hundred-20-thousand in 2024, as deaths outnumbered births.

Last year, 2-hundred-38-thousand-3-hundred babies were born, while 3-hundred-58-thousand-4-hundred people died.

This marks the fifth consecutive year of a natural decrease in population, with a total drop of 4-hundred-56-thousand from 2020.