The number of babies born in Korea increased for 14 months straight as of August, largely due to an increase in marriages, data showed on Wednesday.
A total of 20,867 babies were born in August, up 3.8 percent from 20,103 babies born a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics.
The number of newborns has been on an upward trend since July last year.
The number of monthly births this year had remained at around 20,000 until it dipped slightly in June. However, the figure increased again in July and August, maintaining the 20,000 level.
The country’s total fertility rate, the average number of children that a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, rose 0.02 from a year earlier to 0.77 in August.
The ministry said that the rise in the number of births appears to be influenced by a continued increase in marriages, growth in the population of women in their early 30s and better government policies supporting childbirth.
In Korea, where childbirth outside of marriage remains rare, an increase in marriages tends to precede a rise in births.
The number of marriages in August jumped 11 percent on year to 19,449, marking the 17th consecutive month of growth.
It also marked the largest number for any August since 2017, when the figure came to 20,068.
Korea has been persistently struggling with low birthrates, as economic challenges and shifting social attitudes have led many young people to postpone or avoid marriage and parenthood. In response, the government has implemented various measures, such as financial support for marriage and childcare, to promote higher birthrates.
Meanwhile, the number of deaths in August dropped 9.8 percent from a year earlier to 28,971, resulting in a natural population decline of 8,105.
The number of divorces fell 5.5 percent on year to 7,196 in August, the data also showed.
Yonhap
