South Korea has the lowest fertility rate in the world

[BUtterfield 8 41,816]

South Korea has the lowest fertility rate in the world for the second consecutive year. The country has now entered a crisis as there has been a severe decline in birth rates over the years.

According to the 2021 World Population Status Report released by the United Nations Population Fund on April 14th, Korea's total fertility rate came in last out of the 198 countries measured.

The total fertility rate refers to the average number of births a woman is expected to have during childbearing.

South Korea's fertility rate in 2021 stood at 1.1 children, which is less than half of the world average of 2.4 children.

As a result, South Korea has ranked last for two consecutive years. The last time South Korea didn't rank last was in 2019, when it ranked 192nd with a fertility rate of 1.3.

The percentage of the total population under the age of 14 was also the lowest with 12.3% of the population. This is also less than half of the world's average of 25.3%.

On the other hand, 16.6% of the population are aged 65 or older, an increase of 0.8% from last year, coming in at 42nd place among the 198 countries.

The average life expectancy in South Korea was 86 years for women and 80 years for men, ranking 4th and 19th place, respectively, in the world. The world average is 75 years for women and 71 years for men.

Source

[Delulu Rogers 7,662]

This will lead to such problems. Economic collapse, poverty, mass emigration of younger population etc.

At least the environment is benefiting 

[GagaSine 7,464]

I have heard people say it is because of the work culture, where people do not have time for family because they are just constantly grinding, similar to Japan. I wonder if that is true and what other factors there are.

[BUtterfield 8 41,816]

3 minutes ago, GagaSine said:

I have heard people say it is because of the work culture, where people do not have time for family because they are just constantly grinding, similar to Japan. I wonder if that is true and what other factors are.

Not to mention they shame single parents 

 

[FATCAT 60,886]

7 minutes ago, Delulu Rogers said:

This will lead to such problems. Economic collapse, poverty, mass emigration of younger population etc.

At least the environment is benefiting 

It depends, eventually we'll reach a point where automation completely strips out many jobs, and without something like UBI they will starve. Having a slimmed down population before that eventuality might actually save them, in some ways. That being said, there's a lot of complexity to this stuff & I'm not well versed.

[bionic 50,111]

Immigration aside, I don't know how governments are going to tackle this cultural status quo. Its becoming increasingly common amongst 'developed' countries.

[Hyoha 1,633]

If I were South Korean, I wouldn't wish to have kids. Their society is so strict, so demanding and exerts so much pressure onto everyone career and education-wise. It must be exhausting and I wouldn't want that pressure on my child.

[Lucas 31,097]

Wait isn't it a thing in South Korea that you are only allowed to have 1 kid anyway? or you get more money from the government if you have only 1 kid, there's some story like this I think

edit: someone corrected me, it's actually China, sorry

[GagaSine 7,464]

6 minutes ago, Lucas said:

Wait isn't it a thing in South Korea that you are only allowed to have 1 kid anyway? or you get more money from the government if you have only 1 kid, there's some story like this I think

You're thinking of China, and I believe they have ended that policy

[bionic 50,111]

2 minutes ago, GagaSine said:

You're thinking of China, and I believe they have ended that policy

Didn't China change it to a 2-child policy instead

[Delulu Rogers 7,662]

All of east Asia is declining in population. China’s population may fall to 800 million in 80 years which is insane. 

[GagaSine 7,464]

9 minutes ago, bionic said:

Didn't China change it to a 2-child policy instead

Idk but if they did America should take notes 

Jk restricting ppl's family sizes is unethical af, but it does freak me out when ppl in western countries have four or more kids  the cost alone...

[bionic 50,111]

Just now, GagaSine said:

Idk but if they did America should take notes 

Jk restricting ppl's family sizes is unethical af, but it does freak me out when ppl in western countries have four or more kids  the cost alone...

I'm one of seven kids  

[GagaSine 7,464]

Just now, bionic said:

I'm one of seven kids  

My mom is one of 13  but she is from rural Poland and was born in the 60s

I worked with a woman who had five kids, and she was divorced from the father. two of them are in university and she moved to PEI (small island on Canada's east coast) to live on a farm with the rest after living in the city for their entire lives.

[bionic 50,111]

1 minute ago, GagaSine said:

My mom is one of 13  but she is from rural Poland and was born in the 60s

I worked with a woman who had five kids, and she was divorced from the father. two of them are in university and she moved to PEI (small island on Canada's east coast) to live on a farm with the rest after living in the city for their entire lives.

PEI = Prince Edward Island?   

There's not a huge gap between my eldest brother and youngest brother (I am 6/7) so for most of our lives we lived under the same roof.  I didn't learn privacy until I moved out