A banner welcoming the newborn in town -courtesy of Hongseong County
A small, rural town in South Korea is celebrating the first child birth in 17 years as the country continues to enjoy a rise in its fertility rate.
In addition, 4 students enrolled at the town’s only the school, taking its attendance to 17, another demographic milestone the residents had reason to celebrate.
Earlier, GNN reported that 2025 saw a sharp rise in the fertility rate in South Korea, the world’s least-fertile country.
Rising 6.2% year-over-year, and paired with a 9.8% fall in the divorce rate, it signaled that demographic collapse may not be the country’s ultimate destiny.
On March 19th, Sreydani, an immigrant from Cambodia, and her husband Jeong Hae-deok, welcomed their son Yong-jun into the world. The town of Eunha-myeon in Hongseong County hung a banner down main street in his honor.
“A special gift that came to Eunha-myeon in 2026. We celebrate the birth of baby boy Jeong Yong-jun,” it read.
The population of Eunha-myeon has fallen from 2,600 to below 2,000 over the last 6 years. It’s one of the smallest in the country, and a typical example of the effects of demographic collapse threatening countries of all cultures all over the world.
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The town mayor, Shim Seon-ja heartily welcomed the new birth.
“We will make every effort in administrative support so that Eunha-myeon can become a place good for raising children and where everyone wants to live,” Shim told an affiliate of the Korea Times, Hankook Ilbo.
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