(Anadolu photo)
ANKARA – South Korea recorded the lowest childbirths and highest death rate in 41 years during the month of August this year amid an aging population and the Covid-19 pandemic, local media reported on Wednesday.
During August, a total of 21,758 babies were born, down 2.4% from the previous year, Yonhap News Agency reported citing the data released by Statistics Korea.
This is the lowest childbirth rate in any August since 1981.
The East Asian country is facing an aging population and a decline in childbirths because many young people are distancing themselves from marriage, and having children due to the lack of decent job opportunities, high home prices, and heavy private education fees.
Last year, South Korea also recorded the lowest childbirths in the world.
The country’s death rate in any August also increased as a total of 30,001 people died, recording a 15.8% increase from the previous year, according to the report.
Rapid aging and the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic also pushed up the number of deaths to a record high in August.
South Korea reported its first natural fall in population in 2020, and the government announced more incentives for families to encourage more births.
Despite the government’s efforts, the country's total fertility rate, which refers to the average number of children a woman bears in her lifetime, came to 0.81 in 2021, down from 0.84 in 2020, the agency reported. (Anadolu)
