South Korea’s July Childbirth Count Drops Below 20,000 For The First Time.

The July 2023 birth count dropped 20,000, a record low. Births have fallen over ten months from October 2022. Meanwhile, deaths have increased compared to last year, reducing the national population.

July saw 19,102 childbirths, a 6.7% dip from July 2022, according to Statistics Korea’s September 27 report.

First time July births have dropped below 20,000 since 1981. Similarly, the birth rate dropped 0.3 births from the prior year to 4.4 births per 1,000.

The trend of declining birth rates has continued from December 2015, except for September 2015. Births have stayed in the 10,000s since April 2018, when they reached 18,484.

This suggests that slipping below 20,000 monthly births may become a pattern. Current trends suggest fewer births throughout the year. The fertility rate could plummet to 0.6 this year if this trend continues, below last year’s record low of 0.78 births per woman. All regions except Chungbuk have had fewer births. Fertility should be 2.1 births per woman to maintain 52 million people.

The July death toll was 28,239, up 2,166 (8.3%) from the previous year. Deaths have risen in all regions.

Thus, natural population has decreased. Deaths have exceeded births for 45 months from November 2019. Except Sejong, all regions are like this.

July weddings dropped 792 (5.3%) to 14,155. July saw 7,500 divorces, down 34 (0.5%) from 2022.