South Korea reported a rare increase in births last year as the country grapples with a dwindling population. Its fertility rate remains the world’s lowest.

"The return of tourists could help reshape North Korea's reputation, shifting it from a 'dangerous country' in the eyes of the international community to a potentially 'safe' travel destination," Dr Yee Ji Sun, a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, told The Independent.

COVID-19 didn’t just claim lives directly—it reshaped mortality patterns worldwide. A major international study found that life expectancy plummeted across most of the 24 analyzed countries, with additional deaths from cardiovascular disease,

Rise in weddings, positive thoughts on marriage behind increase, statistics office says South Korea's fertility rate rose by 0.03 in 2024, breaking a nine-year downtrend, according to Statistics Korea on Wednesday.

SEOUL--South Korea set a new record for COVID-19 deaths on Thursday as officials ... early November as part of efforts to return to pre-pandemic normalcy. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention ...

Rise attributed to more women of childbearing age, surge in weddings following COVID-19, more people with positive outlook on marriage, childbirth - Anadolu Ajansı

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The number of babies born in South Korea ... to an increase in marriages among couples who delayed weddings during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Park said another factor behind the rebound was a growing number of people entering ...

Japan witnessed a record low of 720,988 births in 2024, highlighting an aging and shrinking population. Despite initiatives by former PM Fumio Kishida, births continued to decline. Meanwhile, South Korea saw a fertility rate rise.

SEOUL, South Korea — A small ... After the pandemic began, North Korea quickly banned tourists, jetted out diplomats and severely curtailed border traffic in one of the world’s most draconian COVID-19 restrictions. But since 2022, North Korea has ...