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Young Koreans aren’t rejecting love. They’re rejecting what traditionally comes after it. Dating, relationships, and even marriage are still on the table, but parenthood? That’s where many are drawing the line. Recent surveys show that more than six in ten young Koreans — teens and early 20s — don’t see having children as necessary even after marriage.

Here’s the thing. For many young Koreans, parenting doesn’t feel like a life milestone. It feels like an additional financial and emotional responsibility.

Kids are simply too expensive

Raising a child in South Korea is expensive, and not just in obvious ways. Housing prices are high, education costs are relentless, and private tutoring is almost treated as a requirement rather than a choice. By the time a child reaches middle school, parents are already spending heavily on hagwons, test prep, and extracurriculars just to help their kids keep up. For young adults already struggling with rent, student loans, and job insecurity, adding a child to the equation feels overwhelming.

Career-motherhood conflict

Moreover, in every developed country, women struggle to reconcile their careers with a satisfying family life and their preferred number of children. This tradeoff is exceptionally severe in South Korea.

A clear shift in values

There’s also a shift in values. This generation places a high value on personal time, mental health, and freedom of choice. They’ve watched their parents sacrifice everything for family, often at the cost of their own happiness. And many are quietly asking: do I want that life for myself?

How does this affect Korea’s future workforce and economy?

A declining birth rate isn’t just a demographic headline; it has real consequences for the economy. Fewer children today means fewer workers tomorrow. South Korea is already facing one of the fastest-aging populations in the world. The working-age population is shrinking, while the number of retirees continues to grow.

This imbalance puts immense pressure on social security, healthcare, and pension systems. Companies may struggle to find talent.

Economists warn that if trends continue, South Korea could see slowed economic growth for decades. Fewer people entering the workforce also means fewer taxpayers, fewer consumers, and a reduced domestic market.

In short, if nothing changes, Korea risks moving a decade—or more—backwards economically.

What the Government Is Doing About the Low Birth Rate?

From national strategies to local incentives, the government has rolled out a variety of measures aimed at encouraging more couples to marry, have children, and stay in the workforce while raising families.

One of the most talked‑about efforts has been cash incentives tied to marriage and childbirth. In some districts, local governments are offering financial support for everything from dating expenses and engagements to honeymoon costs and marriage registration with packages that can add up to millions of Korean won. For example, in Busan’s Saha District, couples can receive up to 20 million won (~US$14,700) for marrying after participating in a government‑supported matchmaking event, plus additional amounts for dating and engagement costs. Other cities and counties offer annual subsidies to newlyweds who live locally for a set period.

At the national level, Seoul and other city governments are investing billions in comprehensive birth‑support projects. Seoul’s Tansaeng‑Eungwon (“Birth Encouragement”) program — backed by a ₩3.2 trillion budget — combines housing assistance for families with newborns, childcare support, and even matchmaking activities to create a more birth‑friendly environment. Early data suggest these efforts are correlated with rising birth and marriage figures in the capital — births rose 8.4% and marriages 24.1% year‑on‑year in a recent seven‑month period. Beyond financial perks, policymakers are targeting work‑family balance with reforms like expanded paid parental leave, enhanced paternity leave, and flexible work arrangements for parents.

Cultural and Social Barriers Beyond Money

Money alone isn’t enough to persuade young Koreans to have children. Deeply rooted cultural and social norms play a significant role. Workplace culture, for one, remains rigid. Long hours and limited parental leave make balancing career and family extremely challenging, especially for women.

Gender expectations add another layer of complexity. Despite progress in education and employment, women still shoulder the majority of household and childcare responsibilities. Men may be expected to focus on their careers, while women navigate a high-pressure double shift at work and at home. The result? Many couples postpone or avoid parenthood altogether.

Current Status: Signs of a Rebound

After years of discouraging declines, South Korea’s demographic data are finally showing a modest but noteworthy rebound in both births and marriages.

According to Statistics Korea, the number of babies born in 2024 increased to 238,300, marking the first rise in births in nine years, up from about 230,000 in 2023, and pushing the total fertility rate (TFR) slightly upward to 0.75. This came alongside a jump in marriages, with 222,400 couples tying the knot in 2024, the highest total since the late 1990s.

Some analysts have highlighted the role of multicultural marriages in this shift. In 2024, over 21,000 couples involved foreign spouses, up for the third consecutive year, and births among these families rose by more than 10%. Yet, these unions still account for less than 10% of all marriages. In a society where births outside marriage remain rare, the broader rebound appears primarily driven by a rise in domestic weddings, particularly those delayed during the pandemic.

South Korea’s low birth rate and delayed marriages have been a wake-up call for policymakers, businesses, and society at large. But the recent uptick in both births and weddings shows that change is possible, whether through government incentives, evolving social attitudes, or multicultural marriages.

The path ahead won’t be easy, and challenges remain, but these early signs of a rebound offer hope that Korea can gradually stabilise its population and safeguard its economic and social future.

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