South Korea Creates New Ministry to Combat Low Birth Rate Crisis: A National Emergency Requiring All Resources

In response to its low birth rate crisis, South Korea’s leader, President Yoon Suk Yeol, has announced plans to create a new government ministry, dubbed the “Ministry of Low Birth Rate Counter-planning,” to address what he considers a “national emergency.” During a televised address, Yoon stated that the country requires all available resources to combat the issue. This decision comes after South Korea reported the world’s lowest fertility rate of 0.72 in 2023, down from 0.78 in 2022, and after more than $200 billion was spent over the past 16 years without much success. The new ministry aims to mobilize all of the nation’s capabilities to tackle the crisis, which experts attribute to factors such as demanding work cultures, stagnating wages, rising costs of living, changing attitudes towards marriage and gender equality, and disillusionment among younger generations. Experts suggest that deeper-rooted social issues, including stigma against single parents, discrimination against non-traditional partnerships, and obstacles for same-sex couples, may also be contributing factors. Other East Asian nations, including Japan and China, have similarly struggled with declining birth rates, but many have avoided mass immigration as a solution. This crisis highlights the demographic challenges facing many developed nations, as aging populations coupled with declining birth rates threaten social and economic stability.