The Framework Act on Low Birthrate of an Aging Society's Article 3 No.1 defines the "aging population" as the growing percentage of the population that is aged. The average person's life expectancy has increased due to the enormous rise in living conditions brought about by scientific and medical advancements, but aging is also significantly impacted by the decline in birth rates. With a large percentage of its population 65 years of age or older, South Korea will have the oldest population in the world by 2045. Since becoming an elderly society in 2017, South Korea's population is aging at the fastest rate in the world, with an unprecedented 46.5 percent of the population in 2067 being 65 years of age or older. It is anticipated that the working-age population will decline to less than the senior population by 2067.

Low fertility is the primary reason of South Korea's aging population. Reduced marriage rates, more postponed marriages, and aging are the main causes of decreased fertility rates. According to current research, the primary drivers of decreasing fertility rates are sociocultural variables like shifting views on gender roles and education, as well as economic factors like income and labor market circumstances, as well as family and health policies.

FERTILITY

Korea's birthrates dropped precipitously as a result of birth control laws, in contrast to European nations where industrialization and sociocultural influences caused fertility rates to naturally decline below the level of population replacement. By slowing down rapid population growth and attaining quick economic growth, the fall in fertility during the early phases of industrialization led to an increase in per capita income. Consequently, throughout the time of natural decline, the population fall is probably going to be more than that of other developed economies. When birth rates dropped well below the threshold of population replacement in the mid-1990s, Korea's birth control program came to an end. It had started in the 1960s. As a result, from 2.90 births per woman at the end of the 1970s to 1.56 births per woman at the end of the 1980s, Korea's fertility rate has decreased by roughly half. The government attempted to change policies to raise the birth rate in the 2000s as low birth rates began to become an issue, but the rate of decline was still faster than in any other nation.

SEX PREFERENCE

The low birth rate in the 20th century was significantly impacted by the selective abortion of female fetuses. Due to the emphasis on maintaining the family name, there was a significant sex preference for sons in Korea. The abortion rate for female fetuses was high because South Koreans prefer to have a son as their first child rather than a second or third. The ratio of men to women was high as a result of these choices. The sex ratio at birth increased further between 1981 and 1988, reaching roughly 116.55 men to 100 females in the early 1990s. Any greater ratio suggests sex-selective abortion because the natural sex ratio at birth is approximately 105 men to 100 females. The number of prospective parents who aborted female fetuses after checking the sex increased, even though sex-selective abortion is illegal. Because of this, the government outlawed doctors from telling expectant parents a fetus's sex in 1988.

EDUCATION COST

Koreans place a great priority on their kids' education, which is consistent with their Confucian beliefs, which highlight the link between social standing and higher education. Some Korean parents enroll their kids in pricey, for-profit after-school programs called hagwon in the hopes that they will perform well enough to get into a renowned institution. Over 75% of South Korean children were enrolled in private schools in 2009.

According to a national poll conducted in 2005, 18.2% of women between the ages of 20 and 29 decided against having a second child due to the expense of additional education. In order to concentrate on each child's progress with less financial strain, parents want to have no more than one or two children. A 2012 poll conducted by the Health Ministry found that 90% of respondents said they were hesitant to have children due to the high cost of education, including private school fees.

SOCIETY OF EXTREME COMPETITION

Like other East Asian nations, Korea has a competitive society that places a lot of demands on people, both at work and in school. People, especially young people, experience stress and fear of failure due to long work hours and ongoing social pressure to do well. This may also be the reason why Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Many Koreans decide not to have children as a result, and occasionally they even decide to stay single. Additionally, the majority of married couples want to have a single kid so that they can focus more resources and efforts on the child's academic and career achievement.

FEMALE LABOR FORCE

The number of South Korean women in the workforce has increased as a result of more of them enrolling in universities as the economy has grown. More women are delaying marriage in favor of raising their standard of living instead of starting a family. The average age at which a South Korean lady got married rose from 24.1 to 28.1 years between 1985 and 2007. Additionally, the percentage of women enrolled in college rose from 31.3% in 1990 to 83.8% in 2008. From 6.0 children per woman in 1960 to 1.13 children per woman in 2006, the birth rate likewise fell as the percentage of women working outside the house rose from 42.8% in 1980 to 50.2% in 2005.

INCREASED DIVORCE RATE

In South Korea, the divorce rate rose by 70% between 1970 and 2000. The biggest factor influencing family breakup, which leads to a low fertility rate, is divorce. Although divorce had a minor overall impact on the birth rate between 1970 and 2000, the sharp rise in divorce rates during the 1997 financial crisis had an impact on the decline in the birth rate. Many families disbanded during the economic crisis because they were unable to provide for their members. In 1997, the crude divorce rate rose to 2 (divorces per 1,000 population), and the following year, it rose quickly to 2.5. The crude divorce rate increased to 3.5 in 2003.

LONGEVITY

The average life expectancy in the first half of the 1950s was slightly under 42 years (37 years for men and 47 years for women). The numbers are drastically different today. South Korea, which is currently ranked 15th in the world, has one of the longest life expectancies. South Korean babies typically live to be 82 years old (79 years for men and 85 years for women). The global average, on the other hand, is 72 years old (70 for males and 74 for women). According to UN projections, life expectancy will continue to rise, with the average South Korean baby born in 2100 living to be 92 years old (89 for men and 95 for women). According to a different study that was published in the Lancet, there is a 57% possibility that South Korean women would be the first in the world to live longer than 90 years on average by 2030.

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