The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    IU says she was excited to share screen with Park Seo-joon in 'Dream'

  • 3

    BLACKPINK, TXT, Stray Kids: K-pop stars headline international music festivals

  • 5

    INTERVIEWForeign-born entertainers seek to revolutionize local industry

  • 7

    College students turn to 1,000 won breakfast to beat inflation

  • 9

    Korean aesthetics, spirit live on at Gyeongbok Palace

  • 11

    Chun Woo-won apologizes to Gwangju victims, calls grandfather 'criminal'

  • 13

    Koreans warned against making inappropriate videos in Thailand

  • 15

    BTS Jimin breaks record for K-pop soloist with 'Face'

  • 17

    South Korea nominates new ambassador to US

  • 19

    SM Entertainment founder looks to future as company appoints new management

  • 2

    Children, pregnant women executed, tortured in North Korea: report

  • 4

    Korea to scrap customs form for travelers without dutiable goods

  • 6

    NewJeans, Apple join hands to bring immersive audio experience

  • 8

    Rare Joseon-era map returns home from Japan

  • 10

    Seventeen to drop new EP next month

  • 12

    Celebrity chef Paik Jong-won takes his business skills to next level with 'The Genius Paik'

  • 14

    Carmakers unveil latest models at Seoul Mobility Show

  • 16

    'Me': BLACKPINK's Jisoo off to smooth start as solo artist

  • 18

    Japanese top visitors to Korea in 2023 as tourism rebounds

  • 20

    Gwangju's popular Alleyway restaurant resurrects

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sat, April 1, 2023 | 20:20
-------------------------
Korea Looks to French Model As Birth Rate Falls
Posted : 2009-03-10 16:11
Updated : 2009-03-10 16:11
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Minister of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs Jeon Jae-hee is looking seriously at France's family-friendly policies as a solution to the nation's falling birth rates.

Jeon Jae-hee
Health Minister
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

Minister of Health, Welfare and Family Affairs Jeon Jae-hee is looking seriously at France's family-friendly policies as a solution to the nation's falling birth rates.

Jeon expressed interest in the French model after the National Statistical Office announced that the nation's total fertility rate, referring to the number of children born per woman aged 15 to 49, dropped to 1.19 last year.

The figure, which is one of the lowest among member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECS), is well below what's needed to secure generation replacement.

``If the current trend goes on, the nation will end up being unable to provide adequate social services in the future,'' said Jeon.

Threats are evident since some businesses have suffered the deleterious effects of the low fertility rate in their sales.

Agabang & Company, an infant and toddler products manufacturer, has overhauled its business structure since 2000 to cope with the falling rate.

The number of infants in 2000 totaled about 630,000 but sharply plunged to roughly 430,000 in five years.

The shrinking domestic market has led management to look at overseas markets to make up for the business losses, and the outward-looking strategy helped its sales get back on the right track. Exports accounted for approximately 30 percent of Agabang's revenue in 2006.

Namyang, a leading local dairy product producer, managed to survive the tough business environment after aggressively looking for offshore markets such as Vietnam and China since 2003.

Since taking office last August, Health Minister Jeon has put top policy priority on combating the falling fertility rate. She had been committed to mapping out effective work and family policy aimed at providing state-sponsored day care facilities and bold subsidies to couples having children, following the French model.

France achieved the second highest fertility rate in Europe, with 1.94 children born per woman in 2006. The government has subsidized children and families from pregnancy to young adulthood through maternity leave and part-time work for women.

The country, one of the first European countries that faced a declining population, had 830,000 new babies in 2006, its highest annual total since 1981.

According to health ministry officials, Korea will be required to set aside approximately 19 trillion won (about $12.5 billion) to fulfill Jeon's commitment, which, they admit, will be very challenging, especially during the deepening economic downturn.

The question is if the French model will be helpful in improving the birthrate here.

Lee Sam-sik, a research fellow at the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, told The Korea Times that Korea has no other choice but to benchmark the French style of reconciliation of work and family.

``Under the current scheme, only low-income families can access state-sponsored programs and the subsidies available are very limited,'' said Lee.

``To properly handle the falling fertility rates, more families should be eligible for more subsidies and larger benefits than current levels. Given the reality, it is necessary for the government to benchmark the French model,'' the expert added.

A Norwegian expert, however, observed that high birthrates arise from a combination of steady economic growth and government-sponsored supportive family policies, indicating family policy alone may not necessarily help.

Marit Ronsen, a senior researcher with Statistics Norway, said in an interview with BBC that Sweden's family policies were as generous as those of Norway but its birthrate has not improved.

Norway, along with Ireland, has among the highest birthrates in Europe.

``In economically insecure times, people tend to postpone having children,'' she said.

Ronsen indicated that Norway's steady economic growth since the 1990s probably also encouraged its couples to have more children.

hkang@koreatimes.co.kr
 
Top 10 Stories
1Chun Woo-won apologizes to Gwangju victims, calls grandfather 'criminal' Chun Woo-won apologizes to Gwangju victims, calls grandfather 'criminal'
2Koreans warned against making inappropriate videos in Thailand Koreans warned against making inappropriate videos in Thailand
3Gwangju's popular Alleyway restaurant resurrectsGwangju's popular Alleyway restaurant resurrects
4Ambassador offers taste of Ghana to Korea Ambassador offers taste of Ghana to Korea
5[INTERVIEW] North Korean defectors bear brunt of remittance scams INTERVIEWNorth Korean defectors bear brunt of remittance scams
6Korea ready to greet BIE inspection team Korea ready to greet BIE inspection team
7Gimpo airport to launch care service for dogs Gimpo airport to launch care service for dogs
8Yoon gov't disputes Japanese media's claims about summit Yoon gov't disputes Japanese media's claims about summit
9Regulators urge financial groups to minimize interest rate hikes Regulators urge financial groups to minimize interest rate hikes
10Mirae Asset, SK Telecom team up for security token businessMirae Asset, SK Telecom team up for security token business
Top 5 Entertainment News
1IU says she was excited to share screen with Park Seo-joon in 'Dream' IU says she was excited to share screen with Park Seo-joon in 'Dream'
2BLACKPINK, TXT, Stray Kids: K-pop stars headline international music festivalsBLACKPINK, TXT, Stray Kids: K-pop stars headline international music festivals
3[INTERVIEW] Foreign-born entertainers seek to revolutionize local industry INTERVIEWForeign-born entertainers seek to revolutionize local industry
4NewJeans, Apple join hands to bring immersive audio experience NewJeans, Apple join hands to bring immersive audio experience
5Celebrity chef Paik Jong-won takes his business skills to next level with 'The Genius Paik' Celebrity chef Paik Jong-won takes his business skills to next level with 'The Genius Paik'
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group