Presidential hopefuls pledge childbirth incentives, but lack control tower plan

This combined image shows the presidential candidates of Korea's major political parties on the campaign trail, Friday. From left are Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea, Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party and Lee Jun-seok of the Reform Party. Yonhap

As Korea's demographic crisis deepens, with its persistently low birthrate casting a long shadow over the nation's economic and social future, presidential candidates are now outlining detailed policy proposals aimed at reversing the trend, placing the issue at the forefront of the electoral debate.

Despite the urgency, none of the candidates have yet pledged to establish a population ministry — a control tower to coordinate demographic policies. Attention is now turning to whether creating such a ministry will be part of broader reforms to the Government Organization Act.

Korea’s total fertility rate fell to 0.75 last year, the lowest among OECD countries and less than half the average for the group of industrialized nations. If this trend continues, the nation’s population is projected to shrink to 36 million within the next 50 years.

Amid growing concerns over the demographic crisis, presidential candidates are unveiling plans to tackle the country’s declining birthrate, with some placing related measures among their top 10 policy priorities.

Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), has pledged a series of expanded support measures aimed at easing the burden of child rearing, including increased tax benefits.

He promised to raise the age limit for child allowance eligibility gradually to 18 and to expand parental leave for all workers in stages.

Lee also proposed increasing the credit card tax deduction rate and raising the deductible limit based on the number of children in a household. Additionally, fees for entertainment and sports academies, as well as physical training facilities, would be newly included in education-related tax deductions.

As part of his housing and family support pledges for newlyweds, Lee promised to increase the supply of publicly owned rental housing and strengthen support for couples struggling with infertility.

Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party’s (PPP) presidential candidate, has placed a strong emphasis on housing support for newlyweds as a key strategy to combat the country’s declining birthrate.

He pledged to offer housing subsidies for up to nine years: three years after marriage, three more years following the birth of a first child and an additional three years after the birth of a second child.

Kim also vowed to extend the terms of special loans for newborns and housing, while easing income eligibility requirements to make them more accessible.

As part of his broader plan to support pregnancy and childbirth, Kim promised to include fertility-related procedures — such as egg and sperm freezing and preservation — under national health insurance coverage. He also pledged to expand financial assistance for fertility assessments, infertility treatments, prenatal checkups and childbirth expenses.

Reform Party candidate Lee Jun-seok did not include measures to address the low birthrate among his top 10 campaign pledges. However, he has proposed introducing a special colored license plate program to support families with multiple children.

With the special pink-colored plates, families would receive benefits such as designated parking spaces for multi-child households, reduced parking fees and access to expressway carpool lanes.

Medical staffers care for newborns at a hospital in Incheon, Feb. 26. Yonhap

However, critics argue that financial support alone will have limited impact in tackling the country’s low birthrate crisis.

"Simply expanding housing subsidies and increasing child allowances is not enough," said Lee Min-ah, a sociology professor at Chung-Ang University. "We need a more comprehensive approach that examines the broader factors behind the declining birthrate — including welfare, employment, and gender equality — not just financial incentives."

Meanwhile, detailed plans to establish a dedicated population ministry — expected to serve as a control tower for demographic policies — remain absent from all presidential candidates’ official pledges.

Currently, the Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy oversees such matters, but it is staffed by officials temporarily dispatched from various ministries, typically serving one- to two-year terms.

Professor Lee acknowledged the need for a dedicated population ministry, agreeing that ensuring policy continuity is crucial, as short-term measures alone are insufficient to address the demographic crisis.

"It’s also crucial that the ministry be composed of experts from diverse fields to ensure a comprehensive and effective approach," she added.