Will the Number of Births in Jeonnam Rebound After 9 Years?

Total Fertility Rate in Q3 at 1.05
Cumulative Fertility Rate Up 2.4% YoY
Province Cites Effects of New Birth Allowance, etc.

Photo of Suncheon Public Postpartum Care Center. Provided by Jeonnam Province

Jeonnam Province announced on the 29th that the total fertility rate in the third quarter recorded 1.05, and the cumulative fertility rate up to September this year increased by 2.4% compared to the previous year, raising the possibility of an increase in the number of births by the end of the year for the first time in nine years.

According to the "September Population Trends" released by Statistics Korea, the number of births in Jeonnam up to September this year was 6,185, an increase of 148 (2.4%) from 6,037 in the previous year. The cumulative number of births nationwide up to September was 178,600, an increase of 1,285 (0.72%) from 177,315 in the previous year.

The number of marriages in Jeonnam up to September, a leading indicator of fertility rate, was 5,286, a significant increase of 13.65% from 4,651 in the previous year, which is expected to have a positive impact on the increase in births next year.

The government attributes the increase in the number of births to factors such as the rise in nationwide marriages after the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of birth and marriage support policies.

Jeonnam Province established the Population and Youth Immigration Bureau this year, announced a major population transition policy, and analyzed that proactive measures such as basic birth allowances are producing effective results.

Kim Myung-shin, head of the Population and Youth Immigration Bureau of Jeonnam Province, said, "Experts view the next 10 years as the last chance for South Korea's fertility rate to rebound," adding, "Jeonnam Province will actively promote birth policies to reverse the low birthrate trend."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.