The number of babies born in South Korea increased for the 17th straight month in July amid the government\'s efforts to boost the nation\'s low birthrate, a report showed Monday. According to the report by Statistics Korea, the number of babies born in July came to some 38,400, up 3.5 percent, or 1,300, from the same month a year earlier. The number of births has been on the rise since March last year after posting a 24-month consecutive decline, the report showed. During the same month, the report said that the number of deaths totaled 20,200, down 1.9 percent or 400 from a year earlier. About 23,500 couples tied the knot in July, down 4.5 percent from a year earlier, while divorces also declined 4 percent to 9,500, according to the report. In a separate report, the agency said that the number of people changing their legal residence in August grew 7.4 percent on-year to 704,000.