S.Korea's Fertility Rate Hits Record Low In Q3

SEOUL, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Nov, 2022 ) :South Korea's fertility rate hit the lowest third-quarter figure as young people refrained from getting married and having children, statistical office data showed Wednesday.

The total fertility rate, which gauges the average number of babies that a woman is expected to have during lifetime, fell 0.03 from a year earlier to 0.

79 in the July-September quarter, according to Statistics Korea.

It was the lowest third-quarter reading since relevant data began to be compiled in 2009.

The record-low fertility rate came as the younger generation delayed marriage and having children amid the higher cost to rear children, stubborn youth unemployment and soaring housing prices.

The number of newborn babies was 64,085 in the third quarter, down 3.7 percent from a year earlier.