South Korea continued to see a natural decline in population for the 19th month.

According to Statistics Korea on Wednesday, 22-thousand-52 babies were born in the month of May, marking a three-point-five percent drop and the lowest number for any May since data began to be compiled in 1981. 

The number of births plunged from the 25-thousand range in 2019 to the 22-thousand range last year.

The number of deaths in May came to 25-thousand-571, up five percent on-year. This resulted in a population decrease of more than 35-hundred, marking the 19th straight month of decline. 

The number of marriages in May also fell eleven percent on-year to just over 16-thousand, another record low for the month. Divorces dropped five-point-four percent to some 84-hundred during the same period.