The number of newborn babies was 23,067 in July, down 8.5 percent from a year ago, according to Statistics Korea. It marked the lowest July reading since data began to be compiled in 1981.
The record-low trend continued for 52 straight months. For the first seven months of this year, the childbirth reached 165,730, down 9.8 percent compared to the same period of last year.
The continued slide in newborns came amid the growing social trend of delayed marriage and the falling number of women who are of childbearing age.
The number of marriages was 17,080 in July, down 10.9 percent from a year earlier.
The marriage fall was also attributed to the COVID-19 outbreak that discouraged people from participating in social gatherings such as wedding ceremony.
The number of divorces grew 3.1 percent over the year to 9,787 in July.
The record-low childbirth raised concern about the demographic cliff, which refers to a sudden drop in the heads of household eventually leading to a consumption cliff.
The low birth rate has been a headache for the economy as it leads to the lower workforce amid the rapidly-aging population, which could drag down the country's growth potential.
The number of deaths was 23,963 in July, up 3.2 percent from a year earlier.
Because of the fast fall in childbirth and the rising death, the country's population kept skidding for nine straight months through July.
Latest comments