S. Korea's childbirths fall for 18th month in August

SEOUL, Oct. 27 (Yonhap) -- Fewer babies were born in South Korea in August compared with a year ago in the 18th consecutive month of the downward trend, a report showed Tuesday, amid delayed marriages and a slow economy.

According to the report by the National Statistical Office (NSO), around 36,200
babies were born in August, down 4.2 percent from the same month a year earlier,
marking the 18th consecutive on-year decline in childbirth since March 2008, when
births declined 4.6 percent.
"It seems that a trend is taking root that people delay marriage or have fewer
babies even after getting married," an NSO official said. "The slumping economy
also seems to be playing a part to discourage baby births."
The number of marriages fell 2.1 percent in the same month, with about 23,200
couples tying the knot, the report showed. This marked 11th consecutive month of
shrinkage.
The rate jumped in August due to the base effect of fewer divorces filed the same
month a year earlier due to a government regulation aimed at discouraging family
break-ups.
Last June, the government introduced a new regulation under which couples with
young children have to wait for three months before being allowed to proceed with
a divorce, a move that delayed filings for the following few months.
The number of divorces filed surged 54.7 percent to 9,900 in August, compared
with 6,400 a year ago, according to the report.
Meanwhile, population mobility increased for the second consecutive month. A
total of 671,000 people changed their legal residences in September, up 4.3
percent from a year ago, the report showed.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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