Korea's fertility rate dropped to a new low of 0.78, the lowest among countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and possibly the world. Korea would need to triple its annual births to 700,000 per year to maintain and stabilize its population. Statistics Korea expected people aged 65 and above will take up 20 percent of the population in 2025, marking a sharp rise from 18.4 percent estimated for this year. The Korean government sees the next five years as critical to increasing fertility and salvaging the country.