North Gyeongsang Province posts total fertility rate above 1.0 for first time in 6 years

North Gyeongsang Province announced Sunday that its provisional total fertility rate stood at 1.06 as of the end of March, marking the province's return above the 1.0 threshold for the first time in six years.

It is the first time the figure has exceeded 1.0 since COVID-19 spread across the country in 2020.

According to the Ministry of Statistics' recently released population trends report for March 2026, the province recorded 964 births in the first quarter of this year, up 14.1 percent from the same period last year.

The number of marriages also rose 12 percent to 793, while the crude birth rate climbed to 4.6 — reflecting broad improvement across key demographic indicators.

The provincial government has steadily expanded a range of low birth rate policies spanning matchmaking programs, childbirth support and childcare assistance.

Particularly notable efforts include the "K-Bodeum 6000" program and job convenience store operations — both designed to deliver tangible benefits to residents — alongside campaigns to promote small weddings and shift social attitudes toward marriage and family.

The province plans to continuously analyze related indicators to sustain the upward trend in the total fertility rate and apply the findings to future policy.

"The province will continue to boldly roll out a wide range of policies — from matchmaking and marriage to childbirth — to keep the momentum of a population rebound going," said Lee Chi-heon, head of the North Gyeongsang Province Committee to Overcome Low Birth Rates.