SEOUL, S. Korea, June 26 (NNN-YONHAP) – South Korea’s childbirth hit a record monthly low for 37 straight months to April, boosting worry about a so-called demographic cliff, a government report showed today (Wednesday).
The number of newborn babies came in at 26,100 in April, down 1,700, or 6.1 percent, from a year earlier.
It was the lowest since the statistical office began compiling the data in 1981, keeping the record-low trend for the 37th consecutive month. The childbirth continued to fall for 41 months since Dec, 2015.
The continued fall in newborns was attributed to the social trend of delayed marriage and the reducing number of women who are of childbearing age.
The number of marriages declined 2.9 percent over the year, to 20,000 in April, marking the lowest April figure since the data began to be compiled in 1981. It kept falling for six months since Nov, last year.
The continued slide in childbirth fueled concern about the demographic cliff, which refers to a sudden drop in the heads of household, eventually leading to a consumption cliff.
According to the statistical office’s estimate, the South Korean population was forecast to begin falling from 2028.
The low birth rate has been a headache for the South Korean economy, as it can lead to the lower workforce amid the fast-ageing population, which would drag down the economy’s growth potential.
Meanwhile, the number of divorces increased 9.2 percent to 9,500 in the cited period, while the number of deaths dipped 0.4 percent to 23,900 in the month.– NNN-YONHAP
