In another dismal outlook for South Korea facing population cliff due to birth rate in zero territory, marriages fell to a new low in the January-July period as virus crisis splashed more cold waters on lifetime commitments.

Korea extended natural population decline for a ninth month in July as the number of babies born in the month fell to its lowest level while deaths shot up to the highest.

According to data released by Statistics Korea on Wednesday, the number of new marriages in the first seven months of the year stood at 126,367, down 9.3 percent from the same period a year ago. It touched the lowest level for the cited period since the agency began compiling related data in 1981.

In July, a total 17,080 marriages were registered, down 10.9 percent from a year-ago period. The on-year decline widened from June (4.2 percent) although narrowed from 21.8 percent in April and 21.3 percent in May when coronavirus spread rapidly across the country.

Statistics Korea said that fundamentally, the number of marriages has been on a steady decline as the population of women in her 30s is spiraling down. The agency also noted the decline partly comes as couples delay ceremonies after COVID-19 outbreak.

Data showed that 9,787 couples registered divorce in July, up 3.1 percent from a year ago. The rise is largely due to an increase in the number of divorces among elderly couples.

The number of babies born in Korea, meanwhile, dropped 8.5 percent on year to 23,067 in July, marking the lowest for the month since the agency began compiling related data in 1981. It is the 52nd straight month of monthly decrease.

In the January-July period, 165,730 babies were born, down 9.8 percent from last year.

The number of deaths, meanwhile, reached 23,963 in July, up 3.2 percent from a year ago, marking the highest for the month since 1983. The tally gained 3.7 percent on-year to 176,363 in the first seven months of the year, also the highest figure since 1983.

Korea’s natural population decrease, which is the difference between the number of births and deaths in a population, was 896 in July, marking the ninth straight month of fall since November, last year. Korea is expected to see its first annual decline in natural population given a shrink of 10,633 in the first seven months of the year.

By Lee Eun-joo

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]