Korea's first babies of the year are born at midnight in southern Seoul

As the clock struck midnight, signaling the start of the year on Jan. 1, the cries of two newborns rang out almost at once inside a maternity ward in southern Seoul.

The fathers of the first babies to be born in 2026 hold their daughters, one nicknamed Jjaemi, left, and Dori on Jan. 1. The girls were born at almost the same time as the new year began. [CHA MEDICAL CENTER GANGNAM]

As the clock struck midnight, signaling the start of the year on Jan. 1, the cries of two newborns rang out almost at once inside a maternity ward in southern Seoul.

At CHA Medical Center Gangnam in southern Seoul, two baby girls were born at nearly the same moment, marking the first births of the year in Korea. Both infants and their mothers were in good health. In a country closely watching for signs of a rebound in births, the timing gave the moment added resonance.

One of the girls weighed 2.88 kilograms (6 pounds, 5 ounces). She was born to Hwang Eun-jung and Yoon Sung-min, and had been given the prenatal nickname Jjaemi. Just seconds later, another girl arrived. She weighed 3.42 kilograms and was born to Hwang Hye-ryeon and Jung Dong-gyu. Her nickname was Dori.

For the parents, the moment felt both personal and symbolic.

“We waited a long time for this baby,” Hwang Eun-jung said.

Married for four years, the couple described the birth as a gift that arrived with the new year. They also thanked the medical staff who stayed with them through the early hours of the morning.

Born at the stroke of midnight, two baby girls became the first babies of 2026. Left is a girl nicknamed Jjaemi and right is a girl nicknamed Dori. [CHA MEDICAN CENTER GANGNAM]

The second couple shared a similar sense of meaning. They said their first child had chosen the baby’s nickname, making the birth of their second feel especially significant. They expressed gratitude to the doctor and the hospital’s medical team for staying up throughout the night and even spending the New Year holiday working.

Dr. Park Hee-jin, an obstetrician at the hospital, said she was relieved and happy that both deliveries went smoothly.

“At a time when hopes are growing for a recovery in the nation’s birthrate, the births offered a reminder of the joy of childbirth and the value of new life,” Park said.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY LEE ESTHER [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]