Nearly nine out of 10 Koreans say low birthrate is a serious issue
Yonhap
Nearly nine out of 10 South Koreans have expressed concerns about the country's low birthrate, a new survey showed Wednesday, in the latest wake-up call to address the chronically low birthrate.
The survey -- submitted to opposition lawmaker Yoon Jong-pil by the Ministry of Health and Welfare -- showed 87.4 percent of 2,000 adults said the low birthrate is a serious issue in South Korea.
The poll showed 31.2 percent cited financial burdens after marriage as the key reason behind the low birthrate, followed by youth unemployment and job security with 19.5 percent and the difficulty in striking a work-life balance at 18.1 percent.
A presidential committee warned earlier this month that the country's total fertility rate -- the average number of children a woman bears in her lifetime -- is expected to fall below 1.0 in 2018, down from 1.05 a year earlier.
The figure is much lower than the replacement level of 2.1 that would keep South Korea's population stable at 51 million.
The government has unveiled a set of measures to lessen women's burdens in childbirth and child-rearing as a growing number of South Koreans have fewer babies, due mainly to financial constraints amid prolonged economic uncertainties.
Many South Korean women complain that their careers can suffer if they take time off for childbirth, as it is not easy for them to find jobs after spending an extended time away from work.
The survey revealed 76.6 percent and 72.2 percent said they feel uncomfortable towards their superiors and colleagues when they take maternity and child care leave, respectively.
The survey was conducted on 2,000 adults across the country between November and December last year. (Yonhap)