Yoon Orders "Bold and Definite Low Birthrate Measures That Citizens Can Feel"

Request for Birth Measures in Low Birthrate Committee Operation Plan Report

President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 8th ordered the government and the Low Fertility and Aging Society Committee to "prepare bold and definite measures against low birth rates that the public can feel."

On the morning of the same day, President Yoon received a report on the operational direction of the Low Fertility Committee from Kim Young-mi, Vice Chair of the committee, Hong Seok-cheol, Standing Member, and Cho Kyu-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare, and made the statement, according to a written briefing by presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon.

Spokesperson Lee added, "The Low Fertility Committee plans to hold a meeting chaired by the president in the near future to discuss countermeasures."

After receiving a report on the total fertility rate, which fell to a historic low and the lowest in the world at 0.78 (provisional results of 2022 birth and death statistics) on the 22nd of last month, President Yoon also instructed, "All related ministries should work together centered on the Low Fertility Committee to prepare comprehensive measures."

At the next meeting chaired by President Yoon, not only welfare policies aimed at simply increasing the birth rate but also macro-level measures related to housing, industry, labor, and immigration to halt the population decline or create opportunities for rebound are expected to be discussed.

[Image source=Yonhap News]