South Koreans gave birth to fewer male babies in 2020: Report
On Monday, preliminary data by Statistics Korea revealed that the portion of male births of the total newborns in South Korea declined to a record low in 2020.
The information came amid the latest sign that traditional preference for male children had waned as the ratio of baby boys to every 100 newborn girls came to 104.9 in 2020, down from 105.5 in 2019.
The tally marked the lowest number since the statistics agency began compiling related data in 1990.
According to the agency, when natural births are calculated with no preference for baby boys, the birth sex ratio reached between 103 and 107.
In South Korea, men have outnumbered women due to a traditional preference for male children. However, since hitting 116.5 in 1990, the birth sex ratio had seen a steady decline.
The agency earlier forecast the number of women in South Korea would begin to outpace that of men in 2029.
South Korea is grappling with demographic challenges from its chronic low birth-rate and rapid ageing.
The country reported the first natural decline in population in 2020, as the number of deaths outpaced that of newborns.
More from Peoples Gazette
Health
COVID-19 survivors battle stigmatisation in Malawi
“People should know that discrimination has a lot of effects on the patients and people who have just recovered.”
Rights
Cybersecurity: 37 billion data records leaked in 2020
Though the number of leaked records hit new highs in 2020, Atlas VPN stated that the number of actual data breaches reduced from 7,553 breaches in 2019 to 3,932 in 2020.
Education
Fearing attacks, Yobe govt shuts boarding schools
Education commissioner says the state was strategising on home learning for students, as it was done at the peak of COVID 19 pandemic.
World
Twitter to make $1.25bn convertible offering
The notes will be unsecured, senior obligations of the company, and interest will be payable semi-annually in arrears.
World
Ex-French president Sarkozy bags 3 years sentence for corruption
He was accused of trying to learn investigative secrets regarding a separate investigation concerning campaign financing.
Hot news Home top
Nigeria to receive 3.9 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines on Tuesday
A top official said the country has a robust cold chain system capable of storing all types of COVID-19 vaccines.
