Seoul: Nearly 70% of married South Korean women have experienced career interruptions due to pregnancy and child-rearing, recent data revealed. According to Yonhap News Agency, the number of married women aged 15-54 who exited the workforce reached 1.22 million in the first half of this year, as per the data from Statistics Korea. This figure marks a decrease of 133,000 from previous years, partially attributed to a decline in the total married female population within this age group, as highlighted by the agency. The overall number of married women in South Korea was reported to be 7.65 million, which is a reduction of approximately 290,000 compared to the previous year. Among those who left their jobs, 41.1% cited child-rearing as their primary reason for doing so. Additionally, 24.9% stopped working upon marriage, while 24.4% pointed to pregnancy and childbirth as their reason for leaving the workforce. The data further indicated that 41.2% of married women experienced career interruptions lasting more than ten years, and 22.8% had interruptions lasting between five to ten years. South Korea is currently facing a continuous decline in its birth rate, with a growing number of young people opting to delay or avoid marriage and parenthood altogether. In 2023, South Korea's total fertility rate, which indicates the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime, dropped to 0.72. This marks the lowest level since 1970, as per earlier data from Statistics Korea. In an effort to encourage marriage and boost the fertility rate, the South Korean government has introduced various benefits and support measures for child care. However, experts suggest these initiatives have yet to yield effective results.