South Korea’s total fertility rate hit a record low last year as the number of childbirths continued to fall, data showed, underlining the country’s bleak demographic situation.

The country’s total fertility rate - the average number of children a woman bears in her lifetime - came to 0.81 last year, down from 0.84 the previous year, according to Statistics Korea.

It marked the lowest since 1970 when the statistics agency began compiling related data. Last year marked the fourth straight year the rate was below 1.

South Korea was the only country whose total fertility rate was below 1 among 38 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. (Yonhap)