The average monthly wage of sailors in the country rose slightly last year, but their number continues to decline in line with an aging society.

According to annual statistics from the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on Monday, the average monthly wage for sailors stood at four-point-97 million won in 2021, up zero-point-eight percent from a year earlier. Compared to 2011, wages saw an increase of 22-point-three percent.

The number of sailors in the country, however, further dropped by 497 on-year to 59-thousand-843 as of late last year.

While the number of South Korean nationals fell by one-thousand-55 on-year to 32-thousand-510, foreign nationals increased by 558 to 27-thousand-333. The percentage of foreign sailors has been rising steadily since the ministry began compiling related data in 1984.

The ministry cited population decline, a change in occupational values, and a decrease in the wage gap with jobs on land as factors that contributed to the drop in South Koreans working in the industry.

The data also showed the rapid aging trend of South Korean sailors, with 78-point-seven percent being 40 years old or older.