By Park Hyong-ki
Staff Reporter
The country's birth rate increased for the 25th consecutive month with the number of newborns reaching 39,900 in February, up 400 from the same period a year ago.
The National Statistical Office (NSO), however, said the growth rate fell sharply from last month's 3,400 increase as the hype of ``the golden pig year'' has gradually abated.
The golden pig year, which ran from February 2007 to February 2008 on the solar calendar, is believed to bring luck to newborns during the corresponding year.
To this end, a large number of couples rushed to tie the knot during the double spring year, or ``ssangchunnyeon,'' which ran before the golden pig year between January 2006 and February 2007. The double spring year is one of the 24 Korean seasonal divisions that is also believed to bring good fortune to newly weds according to fortunetellers.
The NSO said with the abatement, the number of newborns decreased by 7,300 from January this year.
Also, the waning of the mythological belief weighed down on the number of marriages, which reached 24,600, down 3,400 from a year earlier.
``As most marriages took place during the double spring year, marriages have been slowing,'' a spokesman of the statistical office said.
In January, some 29,700 entered into matrimony, down 3,300 from a year before, showing signs of continuous decrease and re-igniting worries over a workforce shortage in the future.
With the country becoming a rapidly ageing society, it has issued incentives for couples and newborns to offset labor concerns. However, the rising cost of living and paycheck freezes are discouraging couples from walking down the aisle.
The number of marriages reached an all-time high in December 2006 when it reached 46,300 to take advantage of the golden pig year the following year.
But still, the low birth rate is haunting the country _ the rate of 1.13 children per woman is still much lower than the 1.98 of France or 1.32 of Japan.
Meanwhile, the number of divorces increased by 100 to 9,900. But the break-ups slowed compared with January's 10,700.
phk@koreatimes.co.kr
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