Show us more than money to raise birthrate, youth tell lawmakers

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Show us more than money to raise birthrate, youth tell lawmakers

Published: 25 Apr. 2025, 07:00 Updated: 25 Apr. 2025, 13:28

LEE SOO-JUNG
[email protected]

Conservative People Power Party lawmakers, youth representatives from the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy, scholars and government officials pose for a photograph at the National Assembly in western Seoul on April 24. [REP.KIM JUNG-JAE'S OFFICE]

One single policy change won't make childless people have kids, but could help them decide if it's worthwhile to raise any in this world, Lee Tae-lim, a woman in her 30s, told lawmakers during a parliamentary discussion on the birthrate.

Lee, a mother of an 18-month-old, is a member of a subcommittee under the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy. The panel, designed to gather the opinions of younger generations and reflect them in population policies, consists of 200 civilians aged 15 to 39. Specifically, there are 80 adults with children and 120 people without children.

On Thursday, lawmakers from the conservative People Power Party (PPP), government officials, scholars and three youth representatives from the presidential population policy committee gathered at the National Assembly in western Seoul to brainstorm ideas to raise the country’s chronically low birthrate from the perspective of the demographic present.

Korea’s total fertility rate stood at 0.75 children last year, about half the average of 1.58 children for the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The total fertility rate refers to the average number of births projected for a woman during her reproductive years.

The youth participants warned state authorities not to consider cash-based incentives for newlywed couples and families with children to be well-made policies, despite widespread public support for them.

Currently, the Korean government offers two million won ($1,390) in vouchers to parents who welcome their firstborn child. Parenting stipends — worth a total of 18 million won — are also given to families with children 1 year old and under.

Lee Tae-lim, a civilian representative of the presidential population committee and a mother of an 18-month-old toddler, second from right, speaks during a parliamentary discussion about the low birthrate at the National Assembly in western Seoul on April 24. [LEE SOO-JUNG]

Lee and Kim Jong-hyun, a single man in his 30s on the subcommittee, recalled that most people chose cash subsidies as their favorites.

The popularity appears to be related to the contemporary perception that children are a type of investment.

PPP Rep. Kim Jung-jae said children, who used to be a source of support in the past or in an agricultural society, have become expensive prospects as society develops.

“As time passes, the parental burden grows heavier than the happiness of raising children,” Rep. Kim said.

However, Lee said the government might overlook fundamental problems or underrepresented issues, such as childbirth outside of marriage, when popular policies are assumed to be effective.

Also, Lee proposed that the government modify the categorization of the panel to fairly represent the perspectives and stages of life of the participants, such as weddings, pregnancy and childbirth.

Lee, a mother of a toddler, was placed in a group reviewing child care policies for elementary children. She found the classification inappropriate due to her lack of experience.

“I would have been able to provide more profound insights about wedding preparations or for newlywed couples, which I have been through,” Lee said.

A sticker indicating that a carriage contains seats reserved for pregnant women is attached to a door on a subway platform in downtown Seoul last year. [NEWS1]

The youth representatives also agreed that the government should raise awareness of welfare support among the public.

“Nine out of every 10 respondents from our street survey answered that they did not know about childbirth-related benefits,” Kim said.

While scholars and officials praised the inclusion of the youth in the policymaking process to solve the population crisis, they said the platform should be expanded to include the older generation.

“The older generation — with money and power — should contemplate how to rearrange their vested interests to solve the birthrate crisis,” Eun Jae-ho, a professor at KAIST, said, noting that the older generation has a “responsibility” to participate.

Remarks from PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong, who is in his mid-60s, were seemingly in line with the professor’s idea.

“I will vote for a presidential candidate from a rival party if they come up with a solution for the low birthrate,” Kweon said. “I wonder whether this country has a future when the birthrate problem is not solved."

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [[email protected]]