For the first time in its history, deaths have outnumbered births in South Korea— the country grappling with the lowest birth rate and the highest proportion of elderly people in the world. According to Census figures, around 307,764 people died this year, while 275,800 babies were born.
Deaths have outnumbered births in South Korea for the first time in its history as the country grapples with the world’s lowest birth rate and an ageing population. The total population has shrunk—currently the population is 51,829,023 and those above the age of 60 constitute 24 per cent of the population.
The changing trend in population is putting pressure on the government to form policies that encourage people to have bigger families. The shift in population is also having an effect on the economy, due to a reduced number of young people in the labour sector.
The shift is due to a change in the outlook of women towards dating and marriage. According to findings by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHSA), 64 per cent of women choose not to date so that they can focus on their hobbies or education. Several of them said that they just don’t have the time, money or emotional capacity to go on dates. According to a 2018 survey, only 22 per cent single women thought that marriage is an important part of life. In 2019, 257,600 people got married as compared to 434,900 a decade earlier.
The government, in a bid to battle the falling birth rates, have reduced working hours per week from 68 to 52 in 2019. In December, the government introduced cash bonuses for childbirth, subsidies for childcare, and expanded benefits for multi-child families. The government predicts that if the current birthing trends continue, the country’s population will shrink to 39 million by 2067.
