The number of newborns in South Korea dropped below 70-thousand in the third quarter, a record low for the July to September period.

According to latest data from Statistics Korea on Wednesday, 69-thousand-105 babies were born between July and September, down six-point-two percent from a year earlier.

It is the first time since the state agency began compiling related data in 1981 that births fell below 70-thousand for the third quarter.

The number of babies born in September also fell two-point-two percent on-year to 23-thousand-566, continuing the 58-month streak of on-year decline.

The cumulative births for this year totaled 211-thousand-768, down eight-point-eight percent compared to last year.

Considering the fact that there tend to be fewer births during the second half of a year, the total number of births in 2020 could possibly fall below 300-thousand, just three years after declining from around 400-thousand.