Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Over 7 in 10 Seoul residents believe having children is 'onerous task for women': poll
Children's bags and clothes are displayed at a store in Seoul, in this Dec. 21, 2023, file photo. More than seven out of 10 residents in Seoul view having children as too great a burden for women, in a poll result reflecting the trend of shunning marriage and parenthood. Newsis
By Jung Min-ho
More than seven out of 10 residents in Seoul view childbirth as something burdensome for women, in a poll result reflecting the trend of shunning marriage and parenthood.
According to a survey released on Monday by the Korean National Council of Women, a civic group promoting women’s rights, 75.8 percent of 1,000 respondents, aged between 20 and 49, said giving birth is “an onerous task for women.”
Younger people tend to see parenthood more negatively, with more than 84 percent of those in their 20s having that view, compared with 80.1 percent among those in their 30s and 65.2 percent among those in 40s.
Meanwhile, only 8.3 percent said they view having children as “a happy event.”
When asked about the expected challenges they worry about the most, 68.4 percent picked fatigue and other physical difficulties, followed by a forced career break and children's education expenses.
More than half of the respondents said women do not receive appropriate support from the government or society after becoming mothers.
Asked about which policy would help reverse the trend, 60.6 percent said more men should be able to take paternity leave, followed by the expansion of workplace childcare facilities and the extension of state-sponsored childcare services.
At 0.72, Korea’s fertility rate ― the average number of children a woman has during her lifetime ― was by far the world’s lowest in 2023.