VOA · As It Is
Intermediate · B1–B2learner speed4:352025-03-05public domain
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01In 2024, the number of babies born in South Korea increased for the first time in nine years.
02The change is welcome news for a country that is dealing with serious population problems.
03South Korea's statistics agency said recently that 238,300 babies were born last year, an increase of 8,300 from a year earlier.
04The 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.
05The data represents the first time that the yearly number of births has increased since 2015.
06Choi Yoon Kyung is an expert with the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education.
07Choi 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.
08Park Hyun-yung is with the government agency Statistics Korea.
09Park said the agency believes the rise is partly due to an increase in marriages following postponements of such plans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
10Park said another reason for the increase is that a growing number of people entered their early 30s.
11Park Hyun-yung is with the average number of people in the country.
12Park said another reason for the increase in the number of young people hoping to have children after marriage.
13Park said another reason for the increase in the number of young people hoping to have children after marriage.
14Park said another reason for the increase in the number of young people hoping to have children after marriage.
15Park said another reason for the increase in the number of young people hoping to have children after marriage.
16Park said another reason for South Korea's fertility rate has been the lowest in the lowest in the developed world in recent years.
17Park said another reason for the increase in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in South Korea's central and lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the 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 child care.
18Park said that the fertility rate will likely stay on an upward movement at least for another year.
19Park said that the fertility rate will be more of the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the lowest in the
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