Research: Birthrate in Korea Drops

The average number of childbirths for Korean women decreased to 1.3 which is one third of the figure three decades ago.

An increasing number of women are working with a significant rise in the number of women working as professionals in such positions as high government officials and medical doctors.

National Statistical Office (NSO) released the report “Women`s Lives through 2003 Statistical Figures” on July 2 to show various statistical facts about the current domestic and social status as well as economic activities of Korean women.

The report shows that the average number of childbirths in Korea diminished by more than three childbirths, as compared to 4.54 in 1970.

This trend is expected to have an enormous influence on overall societal and economic fronts including the lack of qualified labor in the future.

The average age of women in their first marriage last year stood at 27, up by 3.6 as compared to 23.4 in 1985, while that for men also rose by 3.4 to 29.8 years of age from 26.4 in 1985.

The percentage of women who married men the same age or younger was recorded at 14.3 percent and 11.6 percent, respectively.

Almost half of the women (49.7 percent) participated in economic activities in 2002.

Among them, the percentage of women doctors increased to 18 percent in 2001 from 13.3 percent in 1975. That of dentists showed a dramatic rise from 12 percent to 21.2 percent. The percentage of oriental medicine doctors who were women also rose from 1.8 percent to 11.4 percent.

The percentage of women who passed the bar exam was a mere 4 percent in 1990, but grew to 17.5 percent in 2001.

Kwang-Hyun Kim kkh@donga.com