10월 출생아 수 전년동월대비 14.4% 감소...2001년 이후 최대폭 감소<br /><br />South Korea's population continues to shrink, as deaths outstrip the number of births.<br />Data shows the number of births fell over 14 percent on-year in October.<br />The number of marriages plunged by 19 percent as people postponed their weddings due to the pandemic.<br />Kim Jae-hee reports.<br />Despite the South Korean government's ongoing efforts to boost the chronically low birth rate, the nation's population is on the brink of a sharp decline.<br />According to data compiled by Statistics Korea on Wednesday, the number of births in October declined 14-point-4 percent on-year to around 21-thousand-9-hundred.<br />It marks the largest on-year fall for the month of October since the 17-point-7 percent decline recorded in October 2001.<br />The number of births in South Korea has been dipping on-year for 59 consecutive months now, and the number of deaths has outnumbered births for twelve straight months.<br />More than 26-thousand-5-hundred deaths were recorded in October, up 3-point-7 percent on-year.<br />There were also fewer than 16-thousand-5-hundred marriages in October, down 19 percent from the previous year.<br />Statistics Korea says the pandemic exacerbated the general trend of fewer marriages, as the epidemic caused many couples to postpone their marriages.<br />"The number of marriages was down 19 percent, marking the second steepest on-year decrease for the month of October, following a 21 percent fall in October 2017. The number of marriages is on a continuous decline. There's also a dwindling number of people in their 30s. Couples delaying weddings due to COVID-19 seems to have had a significant impact as well.)<br />The number of divorces in October was down 5-point-2 percent on-year, to 9-thousand-3-hundred-49.<br />Kim Jae-hee, Arirang News.<br />
