South Korea is reporting more deaths than births for the first time as the population is declining

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South Korea has been struggling with a growing demographic crisis for years. The country’s fertility rate – the average number of children a woman will have in her lifetime – has hit rock bottom repeatedly and is at the bottom of the lowest fertility rates in the world. Meanwhile, South Korea’s population continues to age, plunging the country into a demographic decline.

But last year’s census, released Monday by the Department of the Interior and Security, seem even more alarming.

There were only 275,815 births, a record low – compared to 307,764 deaths, a 3.1% increase in the number of deaths of the previous year. This is the first time South Korea has reached the “population death cross,” when the number of deaths exceeds births, the ministry said in a press release – and the first time the overall population has shrunk.

The population continues to age rapidly, the census found: 32.7% of people are between the ages of 40 and 50 and nearly a quarter are older than 60.

“The constant decline in the birth rate shows that low birth rate remains a major problem in Korea,” the press said. “There must be a fundamental change in government policies, such as welfare, education and national defense, accordingly.”

The release did not mention any causes of death, or to what extent the Covid-19 pandemic affected last year’s numbers. The pandemic has killed 981 people in South Korea so far, according to a Johns Hopkins University census.

But Korean experts have previously warned that the pandemic could bias births and deaths – both because of the higher number of Covid-related deaths and because the pandemic’s circumstances could discourage couples from having children.

In a report published in December 2020, the Central Bank of Korea warned that the country’s declining birth rates and aging population would likely “accelerate” from the impact of Covid-19. The pandemic created greater job and income insecurity for young adults in their 20s and 30s, potentially disrupting their plans to start a family. Economic and personal fears can cause them to delay having children; In some cases, a temporary postponement of labor can become permanent, the report said.
Japan's birth rate hits another record low in 2019

The bank warned that South Korea may soon have the largest proportion of elderly people in the world, and pushed for stronger childbirth policies and incentives to support the country’s economy.

Other countries with low fertility rates have also seen their demographic problems increase during the pandemic. Japan, which has been struggling with low birth rates and an aging population for years, saw the number of reported pregnancies and marriages decline in the first half of 2020.
In October, Japan’s Minister of State for Measures to Lower the Birth Rate Tetsushi Sakamoto told reporters that the pandemic could discourage people from getting pregnant and starting a family.
There are similar reasons for the shrinkage of both Japan and South Korea – a major one of which is a demanding work culture that makes it difficult to balance career and family life.

There is also a trend to delay or avoid marriage. According to the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHSA), in 2018, a majority of South Koreans aged 20 to 44 were single. Among those who weren’t dating, 51% of men and 64% of women said they chose not to date so they can enjoy their hobbies or focus on education. Many say they just don’t have the time, money, or emotional capacity to go on a date.

In an effort to counter declining birth and marriage rates, the South Korean government has taken a number of initiatives and policies. In 2018, the government lowered maximum working hours from 68 hours a week to 52 hours last year, with some experts pointing to the declining fertility rate as a driver.

More recently in December, the government published its 4th Basic Plan for Low Fertility and Aging, outlining their population policy plans for the next five years, including offering cash bonuses for childbirth, childcare grants and comprehensive benefits for multi-child families .

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