The number of deaths in South Korea saw the highest on-year increase in March.

According to Statistics Korea, 44-thousand-487 deaths were recorded in the month of March, an increase of 67-point-six percent from a year earlier. 

This on-year percentage spike is the largest in deaths since data was first compiled in 1983.

A Statistics Korea official said the figure has been on an incline amid the rapidly aging society trend, and that the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic likely had an impact on the number of deaths as well. 

Meanwhile, the number of births dropped four-point-two percent in March on-year, standing at 22-thousand-925, a total which contributed to a continuous decline for the 76th consecutive month.

With the current trends, the country's population recorded its 29th straight month of decline.