Asia-Pacific

Childbirths in S Korea turn upward in 2010

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-02-23 15:11

SEOUL -- The number of babies born in South Korea turned upward in 2010 after falling for two consecutive years, a government report showed Wednesday.

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According to the report by Statistics Korea, the number of babies born last year stood at 469,900, up 25,100 or 5.6 percent from the year before.

"The growth can be attributed to a change in the tendency of married couples as they have become willing to have babies after the global financial crisis," an official from Statistics Korea was quoted as saying by the Yonhap News Agency.

The number of births in South Korea had seen a declining trend for two straight years, with 465,000 in 2008 and 445,000 in 2009, after posting 493,000 in 2007.

With the rebound last year, the total fertility rate, or the number of babies that a woman is expected to have during her lifetime, recorded a 0.07 year-on-year increase to 1.22, the report showed.

South Korea has been striving to increase childbirth through diverse incentives, fearing that its low birthrate and rapidly aging society could hamper its growth potential and raise social welfare requirements.