South Korea sees rise in birthrate after nine years, becomes a super-aged society
Seoul: South Korea recorded its first increase in newborns in nearly a decade, with 2,42,334 babies born in 2024, reflecting a 3.1% rise compared to the previous year, according to government data released on Friday. This marks a notable shift for a nation struggling with one of the world's lowest fertility rates.
The data from the Ministry of the Interior highlighted that this is the first annual increase after eight consecutive years of decline. Despite the rise in births, the country’s total population continued its downward trend, decreasing for the fifth year in a row since 2020. The total registered population stood at 51,217,221 in 2024.
On December 24, South Korea officially entered the category of a "super-aged" society, with individuals aged 65 and older now comprising 20% of the population. The Ministry of Interior and Safety reported that 10.24 million people in this age group represent a significant demographic shift, with women in this category accounting for 22% of the female population and men 18% of the male population.
Regional disparities were evident, with South Jeolla Province recording the highest proportion of elderly residents at 27.18%, while the central city of Sejong reported the lowest at 11.57%. In Seoul, the figure stood at 19.41%.
The elderly population in South Korea has been steadily rising over the years. In 2008, individuals aged 65 and older made up 10% of the population, with numbers climbing to 19.05% in early 2024 before surpassing 20% in December.
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Three company directors held in Rs 100-crore investment fraud in Kochi
Kochi (Kerala) (PTI): Police on Sunday arrested three directors of a firm accused of cheating hundreds of investors of over Rs 100 crore through a fake investment scheme linked to agricultural tourism here, officials said.
The accused were identified as Muraleedharan, Ashik Murali and Akhil Murali, all natives of Thrissur.
The arrests were made by the Kalamassery police in connection with a fraud involving ATCOS (Agri Tourism Cooperative Society), a firm headquartered at Pathadipalam here.
Police said the company had promised high returns by collecting investments from the public in the agricultural tourism sector, but allegedly cheated hundreds of people and fled with the money.
ATCOS was registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act and operated 13 branches across various districts in Kerala, besides a branch in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, officials said.
When investors failed to receive their promised returns or the invested amount, complaints were filed with the police.
Officials said around 54 cases have been registered against the firm in 32 police stations across the state, including 29 cases at the Kalamassery police station alone.
Following instructions from Kochi City Police Commissioner K S Mahesh Kumar, a special investigation team was formed under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Shehensha and Thrikkakara ACP Manoj Kumar.
The team traced the accused to an apartment in Amala Nagar in Thrissur, where they had been hiding after secretly renting the flat, officials said.
The bank accounts of the accused have been frozen, and steps have been initiated to trace their assets, officials said.
Police also conducted a raid at the company’s office at Pathadipalam and seized several documents related to the case.
The accused were produced before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kalamassery, which remanded them to judicial custody and sent them to Kakkanad jail.
Police said they would seek the custody of the accused for further interrogation as the investigation continues.
