Korea's fertility rate of 0.81 crisis ... OECD "lowest"

South Korea is facing a crisis of 'population cliff'. In addition to making life difficult due to persistent economic difficulties and employment insecurity, the balance between work and family, the burden of childcare, etc., are causing the 'seven generations' (the generation who is in their 20s and 30s and gives up love, marriage, childbirth, own home, human relationships, dreams, and hopes) are avoiding childbirth, and the fertility rate is plummeting. This is naturally the lowest level among developed countries.

According to the Korea Statistics Office, the total population of South Korea was 51,439,038 in 2022, falling for the third consecutive year. The National Statistical Office predicts that the future population of South Korea will decline to 37,656,000 by 2070.

This declining population is clearly reflected in the fertility rate. South Korea's total fertility rate is 0.84 (as of 2020), half the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) average of 1.59. South Korea is the only country with a score of 1.0 or less.

Countries with the second lowest fertility rates after South Korea among OECD countries include Italy (1.24), Greece (1.28), and Spain (1.36), all of which are above 1.0.