SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Yonhap) -- The number of children born in South Korea fell for the second consecutive year in 2009 due to a decline in marriages and the number of women of childbearing age, government data showed Tuesday.

   According to the Statistics Korea data, the number of newborns totaled 444,849 last year, down 4.5 percent from a year earlier when 465,892 babies were born in the country.

   Last year's figure follows the 5.5 percent decline tallied for 2008, which marked the first annual drop in the number of childbirths nationwide since 2005.

   The decline is attributed mainly to a shrinking female population in their 20s and 30s, couples holding off on having children and a decrease in the number of people getting married.

   "There was a decrease in women giving birth in their late 20s and early 30s while more babies were born to mothers in their late 30s," a government official said.

   She said the rise in the average age of women giving birth directly affected the total number of births.

   The average age for a woman's first childbirth increased to 29.9 last year from 29.6 in 2008, with second births coming at 31.8.

   The report also showed the birthrate continuing to decline, as it fell to 1.15 last year from 1.19 in 2008 and 1.25 in 2007.

   The ratio of 106.4 male babies born for every 100 female babies was unchanged from the year before. The gender ratio at birth was in the normal range of 103 to 107 male babies for every 100 female babies born, according to the data.

   Meanwhile, 98.2 percent of all childbirths took place in hospitals and clinics last year. Of the babies born here, 8,700 were born out of wedlock.

   yonngong@yna.co.kr
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