hankyoreh

South Korea's fertility rate hit a record low in 2005 as more and more women engaged in economic activities and married at older ages, a government report showed Thursday.

Last year's fertility rate was 1.08, down from 1.16 the previous year, according to the report compiled by the National Statistical Office (NSO).

The birth rate figure represents the average number of babies that a woman in the 15-49 age range gives birth to during her lifetime.

Last year's fertility rate for the country is far lower than the world average of 2.6 and the average 1.57 in advanced countries, according to the office.

Such a trend turned the country into an aging society in 2000, when the ratio of the population aged 65 or older exceeded 7 percent. The figure is expected to double by 2018, when South Korea is predicted to officially become an aged society.

The number of newborn babies fell by 38,000, or 7.9 percent, to a record-low 438,000 last year, and women had their first baby at an average 30.2 years last year, up 0.1 year from the previous year, according to the office.

Such a trend turned the country into an aging society in 2000, when the ratio of the population aged 65 or older exceeded 7 percent. The figure is expected to double by 2018, when South Korea is predicted to officially become an aged society.

In order to help boost the low fertility rate, the country plans to inject more than 30 trillion won (US$31.3 billion) over the next five years.

Seoul, Aug. 24 (Yonhap News)