Korea's statistics agency released data on the nation's population earlier today.<br />It shows the country's chronic issues of low birthrates and rapidly aging population have made a profound impact on the number of the economically active population... as well as the number and composition of households.<br />Kim Ji-yeon reports. <br /> For the first time in Korean history the country's economically active population of those aged between 15 and 64 contracted last year.<br /> Data released by Statistics Korea on Monday shows the demographic group dropped by zero-point-three-percent from the previous year to around 36-point-2-million in 2017.<br />The statistics agency cites low birthrates and a rapidly aging population as the main reasons for the decline... adding that the number of those aged over 65 years has climbed by more than 14-percent from a year earlier to more than seven-point-one-million last year.<br /> Meanwhile, those aged 14 or younger... increased by around 13-percent on-year to just over 6-point-6-million.<br /> In terms of households,....the total number surpassed the 20-million mark for the first time... mainly due to the growing trend toward smaller households.<br />Although the proportion of one or two-person households comprised a combined 50-percent, one-member households were the main family type in 2017... accounting for nearly 29-percent.<br /><br /> Those aged 70 or older constituted a staggering 18-percent of single member households in 2017... followed by those in their thirties at around 17-percent.<br /> The general population of those living in Korea increased by zero-point-three-percent from the previous year to record over 51-point-4-million people as of November 2017.<br />Kim Ji-yeon, Arirang News. <br />
