In 2024, the number of babies born in South Korea increased for the first time in nine years.
2024年，韩国新生儿数量出现九年来的首次增长。
The change is welcome news for a country that is dealing with serious population problems.
对一个正面临严重人口问题的国家来说，这一变化人们喜闻乐见。
South Korea’s statistics agency said recently that 238,300 babies were born last year, an increase of 8,300 from a year earlier.
韩国统计机构近日表示，去年新生儿数量为23.83万名，比前一年增加了8300名。
The 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.
该机构表示，2024年该国的生育率——即每位育龄妇女平均生育的婴儿数量——是0.75，高于2023年的0.72。
The data represents the first time that the yearly number of births has increased since 2015.
该数据标志着，自2015年以来，年度出生人数首次出现增长。
Choi Yoon Kyung is an expert with the Korea Institute of Child Care and Education.
崔允京是韩国儿童保育教育研究院的专家。
Choi 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.”
他告诉美联社，研究人员还得等着看未来几年的更多数据，才能知道出生率的上涨是否是由“结构性变化”驱动的。
Park Hyun Jung is with the government agency Statistics Korea.
朴贤正就职于政府机构韩国统计厅。
Park said the agency believes the rise is partly due to an increase in marriages following postponements of such plans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
他表示，该机构认为，出生率增长的部分原因是，在新冠疫情期间，人们推迟了结婚计划，疫情之后结婚人数有所增加。
Park said another reason for the increase is that a growing number of people entered their early 30s.
朴贤正表示，增长的另一个原因是，越来越多的人到了三十出头的年纪。
She also noted a government study that shows a small increase in the number of young people hoping to have children after marriage.
她还提到，一项政府研究显示，希望婚后生育的年轻人数量略有增加。
Official data show South Korea’s fertility rate has been the lowest in the developed world in recent years.
官方数据显示，近年来，韩国的生育率在发达国家中一直是最低的。
In 2022, South Korea was the only country with a fertility rate below one, among members of the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
2022年，在总部位于巴黎的经济合作与发展组织成员国中，韩国是唯一一个生育率低于1的国家。
The low fertility rate could threaten South Korea’s economic health.
低生育率可能威胁韩国的经济健康。
The country, Asia’s fourth largest economy, could face labor shortages and greater spending on public assistance programs.
作为亚洲第四大经济体，这个国家可能会面临劳动力短缺，以及在公共援助项目上增加支出。
South Korea’s central and local governments have been increasingly offering several support programs to those who give birth to children.
韩国中央和地方政府正在越来越多地为生育孩子的人提供多项支持计划。
But experts say that it will be difficult to solve the country’s population problems.
但专家表示，要解决该国的人口问题将会很困难。
Many young people say they do not want to have babies.
许多年轻人表示他们不想要孩子。
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 childcare.
他们的理由包括，住房成本高昂、社会向上流动水平低、养育和教育孩子的高昂费用，以及要求女性承担更多育儿责任的文化。
Park said that the fertility rate will likely stay on an upward movement at least for another year.
朴贤正表示，生育率很可能至少在未来一年内保持上升趋势。
But observers say it remains to be seen whether the rate will go back down as post-pandemic marriages even out.
但观察者表示，生育率是否会随着疫情后结婚数量的平稳而回落，仍有待观察。
The country’s population structure will also change, with a drop in the number of people in their early 30s.
该国的人口结构也将发生变化，步入30岁的人数将减少。
Some experts argue that the government should pay more attention to supporting young couples who want to have babies.
一些专家认为，政府应该更加关注支持那些想要生育的年轻夫妇。
“There are still people with solid wills to have a family and babies.
“仍然有人怀有坚定的意愿，想要组建家庭，生育孩子。
When we help them realize their hopes, our fertility rate won’t suffer a steep, 45-degree drop,” Choi said.
如果我们帮助他们实现愿望，生育率就不会出现陡峭的45度下滑。”崔允京说。
I’m John Russell.
我是约翰·拉塞尔。
重点词汇
economic
adj. 经济的，经济学的；有利可图的；节约的
increasingly
adv. 逐渐地；越来越多地
economy
n. 经济；节约
adj. 经济的；廉价的
threaten
v. 威胁，恐吓；危及，对…构成威胁；预示凶兆，有…危险
costly
adj. 昂贵的；代价高的
yearly
adj. 每年的
adv. 每年地；一年一次地
data
n. 数据；资料
due
adj. 应有的；到期的；预定的；应付的
n. 应得物；会费
rate
n. 比率；速度；价格；费用；等级
v. 认为；估价；定等级；值得；怒斥；责骂
agency
n. 代理；代理处；政府机构
assistance
n. 援助；帮助
upward
adj. 向上的；上升的
adv. 向上；上升
steep
adj. 险峻的；陡峭的；急剧的、大起大落的
v. 浸泡，浸透，湿透；沉浸，笼罩
due to
因为，由于
increase in
增加； 增大
give birth
产仔, 生孩子
drop in
顺便走访(某人)
housing
n. 房屋；外壳；外套；外罩；住宅；卡箍；遮盖物；(芯片的)封装
remains
n. 剩余物；遗迹；遗体
statistics
n. 统计学；统计；统计数字
structural
adj. 结构的；构造的；建筑的；建筑用的
reproductive
adj. 复制的；生殖的
n. (尤指群居昆虫的)母体
offering
n. 供品；作品；出售物
fertility
n. 【C】肥沃；(人)繁殖力；(思想等的)丰富
back down
放弃； 让步
following
adj. 接着的；下列的
prep. 在 … 以后
n. 追随者；下列各项
noted
adj. 著名的；有声望的