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Boosting birthrate

Old policies can’t resolve knotty problems

There are “pink seats” reserved for pregnant women on Seoul subway trains. However, these seats mostly remain empty or are used by older women — or even young men during rush hour periods.

This, in itself, demonstrates Korea’s low fertility rate conundrum. It is almost the lowest worldwide, and the government’s policies to boost the birthrate are getting nowhere.

President Yoon Suk Yeol chaired a meeting of the Presidential Committee on the Aging Society and Population Policy on Tuesday. It was the first time in seven years that a sitting president presided over the presidential panel. Shame on former President Moon Jae-in.

Korea’s total fertility rate sank to 0.78 last year, the lowest in the OECD, even though the nation has spent 280 trillion won ($215 billion) on related policies over the past 15 years. For the first time, more than 60 percent of 249,000 babies born last year were firstborns. In another first, Korea’s population dropped as it recorded more deaths than births in 2020.

A demographic crisis like this is unimaginable without war or disease.

Measures announced at the meeting explain part of the reasons. Despite President Yoon’s criticism of the previous government, his administration has failed to come up with better ideas. Most were a rehash of old policies with slightly more spending. For instance, the new proposals call for free medical treatment for babies under the age of 2, subsidizing infertility treatment fees regardless of income and helping multi-children families secure homes.

These may provide some substantive help but a question mark still remains as to whether they will turn things around. In contrast, Japan, with a far higher birthrate of 1.27, gives 500,000 yen (5 million won) as congratulatory money for the birth of a child and a monthly child allowance of 600,000 won for those who have a third child. Korea will give 100,000 won per child until age 8. Tokyo also plans to raise the rate of male workers taking paternity leave to over 80 percent compared to Korea’s current level of below 10 percent.

Even more pitiable is the “philosophy” toward work and life — or lack thereof — behind these policies. Nothing shows this better than the recent proposals from the governing People Power Party (PPP). For instance, the party called for exempting men from mandatory military service if they produce three children before the age of 30. Many men cannot even marry before age 30, mainly for economic reasons. A female opposition party lawmaker hit back, saying, “Why provide benefits to men while women are the ones giving birth to babies?” The proposal reflected the ruling camp’s typical thinking, which focuses on men and the wealthy.

Yoon, in response to criticisms over the lack of bold and unique measures, said, “It takes a whole generation to change culture and consciousness.” The president is right. However, the efforts must begin now — starting with the chief executive himself.

The Yoon administration has experienced a sharp setback on two accounts from the previous government: labor and gender issues. It seeks to eliminate the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family “to protect women’s rights better.” Korean workers are also seething due to the government’s labor reforms of potentially going back to a 69-hour workweek.

Women — not men — give birth. Still, Korean women are now “on strike against being baby-making machines,” as author Jung Ha-won said in her recent contribution to The New York Times. Female workers here receive 60 percent of their male counterparts’ salaries for similar jobs. Maternity leave is short, and they often cannot continue their previous jobs upon returning to work. Housekeeping chores among working couples are one to five, in favor of husbands. It’s not that most women don’t want to give birth but that they cannot afford to do so. That may also explain why many women are interested in freezing and banking eggs.

Yoon said, “We must show that the state takes responsibility for our children.” However, Koreans, especially younger generations, want to raise their children and want the state to support that with social and economic policies.

Only governments that try to create a balance between work and life ahead of competitiveness, and people ahead of economic growth, can provide it.

Opinion

en-kr

2023-03-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://ktimes.pressreader.com/article/281792813286369

The Korea Times Co.