What Happens When a Country Stops Having Babies?
The Korean population crisis
South Korea is in the midst of the world’s worst population crisis. For many years, Japan was the poster child of a country struggling with an aging population. Now, South Korea has rocketed to the top of that list. South Korea’s birth rate continues to plummet at rates never before seen in human history. According to new data, South Koreans now purchase more dog strollers than they do baby strollers and those numbers have sent alarm bells ringing across the country.
Up until the middle part of the 20th century, countries often had extremely high birth rates, and overpopulation was considered to be a danger. However, as societies have evolved and changed, the opposite is now true. Instead of worrying about overpopulation, countries like South Korea, Japan, and China are starting to grapple with the idea of underpopulation.
South Korea’s birth rate has plunged to just 0.7, the lowest in the world. Every year, South Korea beats is own record for lowest global birth rates. A birth rate of 0.7 indicates that women are expected to have just 0.7 children in their lifetime. The birth rate required to maintain a stable population is considered to be 2.1 children. Any country with a birth rate lower than 2.1 risks facing a shrinking population. Immigration can offset these…