South Korea’s Childbirth Rate Hits Lowest Since 1981; Reveals Statistical Office Data

During the April-June quarter, the number of newborns shrank 2.7 per cent from a year earlier to 66,398, recording the lowest second-quarter reading.

Published: August 25, 2021 6:56 PM IST

By India.com News Desk | Edited by Sumaila Zaman

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Fire in Assam hospital's paediatric ward.(Picture For Representation only)

Seoul: As per the statistical office data released on Wednesday, South Korea has reached its lowest birthrate in the first half of the year, the lowest since 1981. According to Statistics Korea, the number of newborn babies stands at 136,917 from the January-June period, resulting in a dip of 3.5 per cent from the past year.

The Xinhua news agency reported that the newborns kept skidding amid the growing social trend of delayed marriage and the falling number of women who are of childbearing age. The number of marriages diminished 11.9 per cent over the year to 96,265 in the first half, logging the lowest first-half reading. The low birth rate boosted concerns about the demographic cliff, which refers to a drop in the heads of households eventually leading to a consumption cliff.

During the April-June quarter, the number of newborns shrank 2.7 per cent from a year earlier to 66,398, recording the lowest second-quarter reading. The total fertility rate, which refers to the average number of babies that a woman is forecast to have during her lifetime, slightly fell to a new second-quarter low of 0.82 per cent. The number of marriages reduced 5.4 per cent from a year earlier to 48,249 in the second quarter, and the number of divorces slipped 2.7 per cent to 26,224.

(With Inputs from IANS)

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