South Korea's President recently announced plans to establish a new government ministry, the Ministry of Low Birth Rate Counter-planning, to address the country's critically low birth rate. With a fertility rate of just 0.72 in 2023, South Korea faces a significant demographic challenge as it struggles to maintain a stable population without immigration.
President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized the urgency of the situation, referring to the low birth rate as a national emergency. The proposed ministry aims to mobilize the nation's resources to overcome this crisis, which has been exacerbated by factors such as demanding work cultures, stagnating wages, and changing societal attitudes towards marriage and gender roles.
