[News Today] NUMBER OF NEWBORNS UP AGAIN

[LEAD]
The birth rate in August increased nearly 6% from last year. This continues a trend of rising monthly birth rates in the second and third quarters. Despite bleak forecasts for this year's birth metrics, hopes are now rising for a modest rebound in total births and fertility rates.

[REPORT]
A maternity hospital in Gyeonggido Province. The number of expecting mothers visiting the hospital has risen by about 20% from a year ago.

In recent days, some even have to wait to secure a hospital room.

Kim Eui-hyuk / CHA Ilsan Medical Center
Older pregnant women visit frequently these days. The overall number of expecting mothers has risen 20-30% from last year.

Statistics also show a rise in newborns. Twenty-thousand-98 babies were born in the month of August, up some 11-hundred or nearly 6% on-year.

The number of newborns which fell for 18 consecutive months rebounded in April and May before slightly dropping again in June but then went on to rise in July and August.

Im Young-il / Statistics Korea
Marriages are leading to births while the number of newborns which has been declining is also up due to a base effect.

This has spurred expectation that the annual figure for this year could post a gain for the first time in 9 years.

The cumulative newborn count from January to August stands at 158-thousand, just 0.4% fewer on-year.

Also a new outlook predicts the total fertility rate to improve to 0.74 this year and not the record low figure of 0.68 earlier projected by Statistics Korea.

Kim Sang-yong / Nat'l Assembly Budget Office
Related health insurance data indicates a rise in expectant mothers this year compared to last year.

The number of marriages, regarded a preceding indicator to childbirth, has also increased 20% on-year in August to continue a growth streak for the 5th month.