World News

TLDR: Korean population shrunk. Total Fertility Rate: 0.72 children per woman.

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The number of babies born in Korea fell below the 20,000 level for the first time for any February this year, data showed Wednesday, amid deepening woes about the country's demographics amid rapid aging and the ultra-low birthrate.

A total of 19,362 babies were born in February 2024, sliding 3.3 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.

It marked the lowest figure for any February since the statistics agency began compiling related data in 1981.

In terms of February readings, the number of newborns fell below 30,000 for the first time in 2018 and had stayed around the 20,000 level until last year.

The number of deaths advanced 9.6 percent on-year to 29,977 in February this year, the largest figure for any February.

The population, accordingly, declined by 10,614, the sharpest fall for any February ever. The number of deaths has outpaced that of newborns since November 2019.

The total fertility rate, which means the average number of expected births from a woman in her lifetime, also hit a record yearly low of 0.72, which came far below the 2.1 births per woman needed to maintain a stable population without immigration.

In the fourth quarter of last year alone, the rate came to 0.65, the lowest ever quarterly figure.