Births rise in S. Korea for 17th month in July

The number of babies born in South Korea increased for the 17th straight month in July amid the government's efforts to boost the nation's low birthrate, a report showed Monday. According to the report by Statistics Korea, the number of babies born in July came to some 38,400, up 3.5 percent, or 1,300, from the same month a year earlier. The number of births has been on the rise since March last year after posting a 24-month consecutive decline, the report showed. During the same month, the report said that the number of deaths totaled 20,200, down 1.9 percent or 400 from a year earlier. About 23,500 couples tied the knot in July, down 4.5 percent from a year earlier, while divorces also declined 4 percent to 9,500, according to the report. In a separate report, the agency said that the number of people changing their legal residence in August grew 7.4 percent on-year to 704,000.