Births fall, deaths rise as Korea’s bleak demographic decline continues

A nurse takes care of a baby at the newborn ward at a public postnatal care center in Seoul. [YONHAP]

Korea’s population trend of natural decline continued in November as deaths surpassed births for the 49th consecutive month, and the number of newborns once again reached a monthly record low.

A total of 17,531 babies were born in November, down 7.6 percent from a year earlier, according to data from Statistics Korea on Wednesday.

The latest tally marks the lowest number for any November since the agency began to compile related data in 1981.

It also marks the 14th consecutive month since October 2022 where the monthly birthrate has been at its lowest.

The number of deaths, on the other hand, edged up 0.3 percent over the period to 30,255, resulting in a natural decrease of 12,724.

Korea reported the first natural fall in its population in 2019. The trend of deaths surpassing births has continued for 49 consecutive months.

In the first 11 months of 2023, the number of newborns stood at 213,572, down 8.1 percent from a year earlier, marking the smallest number on record during the cited period.

The total fertility rate in last year’s third quarter stood at 0.7, with 56,793 newborns birthed from July to September. The fourth quarter is expected to record a total fertility rate of 0.6.

By region, North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong and North Jeolla saw increases in the number of newborns in November compared to last year, while the number fell in the remaining 14 metropolitan cities and provinces including Seoul and Busan.

The number of marriages decreased 4.4 percent over the period to 16,695 cases. Divorces reached 7,923, down 6.8 percent.

Korea has been suffering from chronically low births, as more people avoid having children amid economic uncertainties, excessive competition, soaring property costs and increasing animosity against traditional gender roles.

British magazine The Economist described Korea as a nation “where women must still choose between a family or a career” in its March glass-ceiling index. While Korea placed second for paid leave for fathers among all OECD member nations, it ranked third for child care costs and had the biggest gender wage gap, which is affected by maternity leave.

BY KIM JU-YEON, YONHAP [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]