The demographic record
Korea’s fertility rate is the lowest among four countries
The latest reading stands below those of Japan, Italy and China, while Korea’s older-population share is far above its starting level.
By SPHRE Data Desk ·
The latest World Bank reading puts South Korea’s total fertility rate below one child per woman. Among Korea, Japan, Italy and China, Korea has the lowest latest value. Read from inside the country, the number describes the average number of children a woman would have if current age-specific fertility rates prevailed; it is not a count of babies born this year. That distinction keeps the headline tied to what the indicator actually measures.
Data: Fertility rate for KR
First and latest readings
The long comparison establishes a broad change without requiring a claim about every year between. Korea’s first observation in 1960 was close to six children per woman; its latest, for 2024, is about three-quarters of one. Japan, Italy and China also end far below their own first observations, but each latest rate is above Korea’s. In the chart, look at the first and latest points, and at the separation among the four latest readings.
Data: Fertility rate
The latest readings place Korea alone below one, with China just above and Japan and Italy higher.
Korea’s latest fertility rate is the group’s lowest, while its older-population share is far above its own starting point.
The age structure alongside fertility
A second indicator changes the vantage. People aged 65 and older made up just over one-fifth of Korea’s population in the latest 2025 reading, compared with a little over three percent in 1960. That is a large endpoint-to-endpoint increase. Japan and Italy have higher latest shares, while China has a lower one. In the next chart, look at how Korea’s first and latest points compare, then place its latest share between those of the other countries.
Data: Aged 65 and over
Korea’s latest older-population share is below Japan’s and Italy’s but above China’s.
Taken together, the indicators establish a precise demographic contrast for Korea: the lowest latest fertility rate in this four-country group, alongside an older population share that is substantially larger than at the beginning of the record. The data do not identify the reasons for either change. They do show why the fertility figure should not stand alone: Korea’s present rate belongs beside the transformed age composition of the population, while comparisons with Japan, Italy and China clarify that low fertility and older age structures do not align identically across countries.
What to know
- Korea has the lowest latest fertility rate among the four countries.
- All four latest fertility readings are below their first observations.
- Korea’s older-population share is much larger than at the start of the record, though still below Japan’s and Italy’s.