South Korea fertility rate rebounds to 0.80 in 2025 after 0.72 low
The NBC News segment examines South Korea's severe population decline, highlighting the 2023 record-low total fertility rate of 0.72 nationally (0.53 in Seoul) and global trends below the 2.1 replacement level. It explores contributing factors like high housing, education and childcare costs, competitive work culture, and gender burdens on women. The report details government efforts spending billions on subsidies, parental leave, IVF and community play centers, plus corporate initiatives like Krafton's $75,000 baby bonus, extended leave and on-site daycare that reportedly doubled employee births. Sourcing includes interviews with a government official, Krafton operations manager and employees, a mother (Baoumi), and expert Dr. Bak Chang Hyun. Graphics reference birth statistics; throughline stresses no single fix exists and society must be rethought for children to thrive, noting a modest uptick to 0.8 attributed partly to demographic timing and post-COVID marriages.
Source: NBC News
