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HomeLatest NewsThere is no one to work in a rapidly aging South Korea

There is no one to work in a rapidly aging South Korea

Date: March 29, 2024 Time: 00:05:46

The Republic of Korea is considered one of the developed countries in the world, where many new technologies are being “forged”. It’s just that, judging by the statistics, the inhabitants of an Asian country are slowly forgetting the classic “technology” of producing children.

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The Republic of Korea is considered one of the developed countries in the world, where many new technologies are being “forged”. It’s just that, judging by the statistics, the inhabitants of an Asian country are slowly forgetting the classic “technology” of producing children.

According to Bloomberg, the birth rate in South Korea, which has been the lowest in the world for many years, has fallen again, breaking another statistical “bottom.”

The number of children expected per woman dropped to 0.78 in 2022, according to the National Statistics Office. At the same time, in 2021, this indicator was 0.81, the lowest value among more than 260 countries included in the World Bank statistics.

The number of newborns last year decreased to 249 thousand compared to 260.6 thousand the previous year. At the same time, some 373,000 South Koreans died in 2021. One politician called this difference the “cross of death.” At the same time, according to forecasts, by the year 2100 the population will decrease by 53% to 24 million people. Perhaps the real situation is even worse, because the forecast for 2019 was more optimistic and foresaw a population reduction of only 43%.

The average age at which a woman gives birth to her first child in Korea rose to 33 last year, while the number of second children dropped by 39 percent. Behind the dry figures of the statistics are real economic problems. Childlessness carries long-term risks, as the workforce is reduced and the cost of social security for retirees becomes a heavy burden on the state budget.

In an attempt to do something about it, the Korean government has increased spending to encourage people to have more children. President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered payments to mothers of newborns to be tripled.

The government has also adopted a “living with an aging population” policy to help the country navigate its new demographics. Since the number of pensioners already exceeds the number of active workers, it was decided to move forward to speed up the introduction of robots and attract more foreigners as workforce.

Meanwhile, experts believe Korea needs to do more to make women less worried about losing their jobs because of having children. High spending on education and housing are among the main factors putting pressure on fertility.

However, the decrease in the number of children in no way affects the struggle for the rights of LGBT people, without whom modern Western society, which Korea is considered to be, is inconceivable. According to The New York Times, South Korea’s top court on Tuesday ordered the National Health Insurance Service to provide so-called spousal insurance to same-sex couples.

However, not all Koreans are satisfied with such “freedom”. There is a powerful conservative lobby in the country that opposes the “victory march” of LGBT people. Protesters even put up angry signs in front of the US ambassador’s house after he said he supports gay rights.

* This website provides news content gathered from various internet sources. It is crucial to understand that we are not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented Read More

Puck Henry
Puck Henry
Puck Henry is an editor for ePrimefeed covering all types of news.
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