My new book I am working on is called ‘Birth Rate Crisis’ and I discuss potential solutions to the
In this segment of a YouTube interview, Jim Penman discusses South Korea’s dramatically low fertility rate—about 0.7 children per woman, far below the replacement level of 2.1. He outlines the South Korean government’s recent policy package aimed at raising births, which includes a 2 million‑won birth voucher, a 2 million‑won postpartum voucher, a monthly parenting allowance starting at 700,000 won for the first year, low‑interest mortgages, increased public rental housing, and even the recruitment of foreign housekeepers to ease domestic chores. Penman expresses strong skepticism that these measures will lift the fertility rate even to 1, citing data from his forthcoming book Birth Rate Crisis that shows a rapid decline in positive attitudes toward marriage and children. He notes that more people now report being happy being single, and fewer view children as a necessary component of marriage, indicating deep cultural shifts that policy incentives alone are unlikely to reverse.
