In the aging town of Danchon-myeon, Uiseong County, North Gyeongsang Province, a local supermarket stocks groceries and various household products but no baby formula or diapers. Stationery items are also nowhere to be seen. “There are no children in the neighborhood, so we haven’t stocked baby formula and diapers for about a decade,” said Mr. Lee, the supermarket owner. Instead, the supermarket sells adult diapers and sanitary pads, which are in demand. “In the town’s senior center, 65-year-olds are the youngest,” said Kim Hyung-gyu, an 85-year-old resident.
Uisung County in South Korea stands out as the region with the highest aging population, with 45.4 percent of its population aged 65 or older. The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs forecasted that by 2050, South Korea will become the country with the oldest population in the world, with over 40 percent of its citizens over 65.
Out of the country’s 226 local governments, 15 have already reached the point where 40 percent of their population is in the 65 or older age group. Notably, seven of these local governments are in the North Gyeongsang Province and Daegu.
Governor Lee Chul-woo of North Gyeongsang Province vowed to take strong measures, declaring a ‘war’ on the region’s alarmingly low birth rate on Jan. 18. He emphasized the gravity of this issue by comparing it to nuclear threats posed by North Korea, stating that the country’s declining birth rate is an even greater concern. North Gyeongsang Province’s New Year’s business report, held on the same day, focused exclusively on strategies to address and reverse the falling birth rate trend.
Dreading the looming risk of depopulation, local governments are taking drastic measures. Gangjin County in South Jeolla Province offers up to $37,583 (50.4 million won) per child every year until they turn 7. A family that gave birth to triplets received 151.2 million won over seven years. Yeongdong County in North Chungcheong Province and the city of Incheon announced a 100 million won child-rearing support plan. Some regions offer affordable housing, with apartments available to newlyweds for rent as low as 10,000 won per month. Local governments are taking the lead in implementing region-specific policies that central government officials in Seoul and Sejong have trouble coming up with.
Han Dong-hoon, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) leader, and Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung have presented plans to address the country’s declining birthrate crisis. The PPP pledged to raise the maximum parental leave pay from 1.5 million won to 2.1 million won and introduce one month of paid paternity leave. The Democratic Party proposed offering 79㎡ houses to families with two children and providing a loan of 100 million won to newlyweds, with repayment terms based on the number of children they have.
It’s rare that the ruling and opposition parties both focus on policy instead of engaging in unnecessary conflict. This bipartisan approach underscores the severe and urgent nature of the country’s low birth rate crisis.