The number of childbirths in South Korea fell for the second month in a row in January from a year earlier due to some seasonal effects, a government report showed Thursday.

About 39,500 babies were born in January, down 5.7 percent, or 2,400, from 41,900 a year earlier, according to the data from Statistics Korea.

The latest number marked the lowest new childbirths for any January results since 2001, when the statistical agency started to compile such data.

But it is the highest in 10 months since it hit 40,300 in March last year.

"It's usual to have more newborns in January, but we have the lowest-ever January number this year" a Statistics Korea official said.

"But it's too early to say that we will receive a gloomy childbirths report for all of 2016, because they are affected by many factors and conditions."

The South Korean government has been encouraging its people to have more children by offering various incentives, including cash rewards. The chronically low birthrate and aging population are feared to hurt Asia's fourth-largest economy by reducing the workforce and driving up welfare costs.

Meanwhile, the number of marriages dropped 15.8 percent on-year to 23,900 in January, while 8,300 couples divorced over the cited period, down 10.8 percent from a year earlier.

The number of deaths came to 24,700 in January, down 0.4 percent from a year earlier, the report showed. (Yonhap)