The South Korean birth rate crisis is an ongoing issue since the early 2000s. It refers to the dramatic decline in South Korea’s fertility rate, which has dopped to severely low levels in recent decades. This continuous decline has raised concerns over the long-term economic and social consequences of an increasingly aging population and a shrinking workforce.
For my project on South Korea’s birth rate crisis, I have researched the country’s demographic history to understand the fundamental causes and the long-term consequences of this issue. South Korea’s drop in birth rates is not just from individual choices but a result of decades of social, economic, and political changes. These changes have influenced the way Koreans view family life, careers, and the challenges of raising children. My research has focused on significant historical events and policies that have
contributed to the birth rate crisis.
I have also had the opportunity to interview Mr. Park and Mrs. Lee, a married couple living in South Korea. Mrs. Lee, a distant relative of mine, is in her late 30s, and they have been married for over three years. As part of the growing number of couples in South Korea who have chosen not to have children, their current position in this topic provides a personal perspective on the broader social trends of this issue. From a combination of economic, social, and cultural factors, South Korea’s declining birth rate has become a major national problem. By sharing their story, I aim to show how individual decisions are closely connected to more significant historical and social forces that have shaped South Korea
today.
Historical Timeline
South Korea’s birthrate has changed dramatically in the decades since the Korean war. From 1955 to 1963, South Korea went through a period of rapid growth in their population, referred to as the baby boom. During this time, the number of births maintained between 800,000 to 1 million per year. South Korea experienced this significant increase in birthrates due to the improved living conditions and a recovering economy which is often a result after a war.
In 1960, the country reached a high fertility rate of 6. The majority of the country’s population were young and cultural norms encouraged people to have larger families. However, as the country began to prioritize modernization and economic growth, the country saw that the increasing birthrates were an obstacle to reach economic goals. South Korea began to implement birth control policies and public campaigns to lower the birth rates (Hwang). These efforts were successful in reducing the birthrate down to below 4 by the 1970s.
Despite these successes, South Korea continues to face demographic challenges. In 1984, the fertility rate fell below 2, indicating a potential population decline. According to experts, a fertility rate of 2.1 is required to maintain the population at its current level. This represented a turning point in the country’s demographic trends, resulting in fewer births in the long run and the country’s population proportion to have more old than young people.
South Korea’s birthrate continued to fall steadily over time. In 2005, the South Korean government began to implement various strategies to address and respond against the low birth rate, which included financial incentives, improving parental leave policies, and better job flexibility. Despite these efforts, the birthrate continued to fall, eventually dropping
below 1 in 2018. “This didn’t address the core issue of child rearing being way too difficult and expensive” (Lee). This became a growing concern about the country’s demographic future. Since then, the birthrate has stayed below 1, highlighting the challenges South Korea faces in reversing this trend.
In 2020, the number of births was under 300,000 per year, whereas the number of deaths per year was 305,100. This was the first time the country experienced a negative growth rate, with the number of deaths exceeding the number of births. While this was an alarming problem, it was also during the time of the corona virus disease that started in 2019. The
pandemic played a big role in the increased number of deaths as well as the decrease in birth rates, as people were more likely to delay marriage and birth plans.
However, in 2024, for the first time since 2015, South Korea had a 3.6 percent increase in its birth rate from the previous year, from 0.72 to 0.75. This increase was partly due to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, where the people had wedding and birth plans postponed. According to Park Hyun-Jung, a government official, there has been a “change in social value, with more positive attitudes toward marriage and having children.” South Korea still remains to have the lowest birth rate in the world, and while it may not be a sizeable increase for a healthy birth rate level, it shows an optimistic view to the country’s future population growth.
Interview
What are your thoughts on Korea’s declining birth rate?
“We are not surprised with the current situation. We see it happening around us. A lot of our friends either delay having kids or decide not to have any at all. There are too many factors that influence young couples against having children, such as high living costs, long working hours, and the lack of support for raising children from the country. Having no kids has become or is growing to something normal.”
The factors she mentioned are widely recognized as major contributors to South Korea’s low birth rate. High living costs and long working hours, along with lack of public support for raising a child, have created an environment in which many people regard having children as an increasingly difficult and costly decision.
What are your plans for having children and what are their reasons?
“Right now, we do not have any plans for having children, but maybe in a few years. One of the biggest reasons is that we do not feel ready. We are not satisfied with our current lifestyle and mental well-being. We worry we they would not be able to give enough time and effort to raise a child properly. Also, we are aware of the financial and emotional burden from parenting in Korea’s current environment.”
Their experience represents the increasing number of South Korean couples who feel not only financially but also emotionally unprepared for parenthood. The decision to start a family might be intimidating due to the pressure of modern living, instability in the job market, and the absence of a healthy work-life balance.
Do financial concerns play a role in your decision not to have children?
“Yes. Even though we both have stable jobs, the cost of living—especially in the city—is
very high. Although things like education and medical care may be more affordable here,
raising a child comes with a lot of other costs like tutoring or hagwons, which is financially burdening in the long-term.”
This highlights a significant issue that many parents face, the importance and pressure to provide quality education for their children. In South Korea, the majority of middle and high school students attend Hagwons, private educational institutions that offers additional teachings in subjects like math, science, English, and Korean. These extra lessons give students a competitive edge over those who don’t attend Hagwons, helping them perform better in school and on the Korean CSAT, which is crucial for getting into top universities. As a result, many parents invest heavily in their children to have this private education, often at a cost that can exceed basic living expenses. Parents are willing to sacrifice this financial burden for their children’s future success.
How do you view Korea’s work culture in relation to starting a family?
“I believe that Korea’s work culture makes it harder to start a family. People are expected to prioritize work over everything else. This makes it hard to raise a child while keeping our jobs. I do not have plans on giving up my job to start raising a child at the moment. The amount of time and effort we put to the job and getting the job is too much to give up on.”
Mr. Park and Mrs. Lee both work full time—Mrs. Lee works as a scriptwriter at one of Korea’s biggest news broadcast companies and her husband works at an accounting firm. Both of their jobs involve long hours and unpredictable schedules. The Korean workplace culture
prioritizes work over family life, which discourages many couples from having children. “Young people have been anxious about their futures, both in their careers and financially” (Choi). This creates a dilemma, particularly for women, who are often forced to choose between their careers and raising a family.
Do you feel there is enough government and social support for working parents in Korea?
“I believe the government has made progress in trying to support working parents, like
parental leave and funding childcare. But in the workplace, a lot of companies favor
employees without children. People feel pressured to prioritize long working hours and
loyalty to the company, viewing children as being an inconvenience and distraction to their jobs. There needs to be a cultural change in the society, and especially inside the
workplace.”
This is consistent with the ongoing debates about the effectiveness of the Korean government’s initiatives in the already established social norms and workplace cultures. A change in policies is important but so is changing the broader work and parenting culture. The South Korean government needs to recognize the value of both family and work, ensuring that the workplace becomes more supportive and inclusive of parents.
How Should We Respond to The Crisis?
In response to the long history of South Korea’s efforts in improving the birth rate crisis, Jin Yu Young proposes several solutions and policies that she believes the country should implement. She believes that the government should focus on improving individual rights, specifically in women, and provide better access to services that supports health and
welfare rather than implement coercive measures to control the population (Young). Specifically in the workplace, the government should seek to create a society that ensures equal labor conditions, improve maternity and paternity leave, and to recognize caregiving as an important societal responsibility. This more inclusive approach aims to reduce societal pressures and encourages citizens to live fulfilling lives without having public anxiety about the birth rate crisis.
My project shows the complexity of South Korea’s birth rate situation and the ongoing efforts to approach it. Through historical research and a personal interview, I have explored how government policies, social forces, and personal choices all work together to affect the country’s demographics problem. While South Korea is going in the right direction to support gender equality, improve reproductive healthcare, and respect for diverse family structures, it is still unclear how well these changes will help the crisis. In the end, the study shows the importance of viewing the birth rate crisis in consideration of human rights and gender equality. It displays a comprehensive approach that encourage individuals and support families is important for addressing the larger societal impacts of this issue.
by John Kim
Works Cited
Cho, Kyung Ae, et al. “Korea’s low birthrate issue and policy directions.” Korean Journal of Family Medicine, vol. 43, no. 6, 2022, pp. 427-433. Synapse.
Hwang, Bo-Yon. “Anatomy of a falling birth rate, from 4.53 to 0.72 in Korea.” The Hankyoreh, 27 Jan. 2023.
Young, Jin Yu. “South Korea Has a Small Baby Bump After Years of Decline.” The New York Times, 26 Feb. 2025.