SEOUL, July 25 (Xinhua) -- Childbirth in South Korea kept falling for 30 straight months through May, boosting worry about a so-called demographic cliff, a government report showed Wednesday.
The number of newborn babies was 27,900 in May, down 7.9 percent from a year ago, according to Statistics Korea.
It was the lowest May figure since the statistical agency began compiling the data in 1981, maintaining a downward trend for 30 months since December 2015.
The continued fall in childbirth fueled concerns about the demographic cliff, which refers to a sudden drop in the heads of households leading to a consumption cliff.
According to the statistical agency's estimate, the number of South Korean population was forecast to begin falling in 2028.
The low birth rate has been a headache for the South Korean economy as it can lead to the lower workforce amid the fast-aging population, which would drag down the economy's growth potential.
The low birth rate was attributable to the social trend of delayed marriage and the falling number of women who are of childbearing age.
The number of women aged 30-35, who give the highest birth during their entire lifetime, declined 5.3 percent in May from a year earlier.
The number of marriages shed 7.1 percent over the year to 25,000 in May, while the number of divorce gained 4.3 percent to 9,700.
