Hanbando Future Population Research Institute Discusses Future-Oriented Immigration Policies in the Era of Population Decline

The Korea Future Population Research Institute announced on the 20th that it will hold a seminar titled "Korea's Immigration Policy in the Era of Population Decline: Directions and Issues" together with the Korean Population Association at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the 30th. This is the institute's first seminar since its launch last year, with the subtitle "A Disappearing Korea, No More Time to Hesitate."

The launch ceremony of the Korean Peninsula Future Population Research Institute / Photo by Hanmi Global

The institute was established to seek solutions to Korea's population issues, such as ultra-low birth rates and aging, from the perspectives of businesses and the private sector. Under the slogan "Businesses Lead the Way to Population Recovery," Kim Jong-hoon, Chairman of HanmiGlobal, serves as the founding representative, with 34 companies and organizations including POSCO and Maeil Dairies participating as partner institutions. Former Prime Minister Chung Un-chan serves as the inaugural chairman, and Lee In-sil, Commissioner of Statistics Korea, is the first director.

According to Statistics Korea, last year's total fertility rate was 0.78, marking an all-time low. This is less than half the average of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). With urgent discussions needed for solutions, the institute will discuss future-oriented immigration policies at this seminar. In particular, it will review the problems of short-term cyclical labor immigration policies and address immigration design and governance construction plans based on future prospects.

Professor Lee Hye-kyung, Professor Emeritus at Paichai University, will give the keynote presentation, followed by a discussion chaired by Director Lee In-sil. Panelists include Lee Sung-yong, President of the Korean Population Association; Jung Ki-sun, Researcher at Seoul National University Institute for Social Development; Son Sung-won, Head of Small Business Policy at the Korea Federation of SMEs; Lee Jin-young, Director of the Inha University Institute of International Relations; and Lee Kyu-yong, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Labor Institute.

The institute plans to hold monthly seminars and forums on population issues such as non-marital births, analysis of Japan's low birth rate cases, and examples of companies encouraging childbirth, to discuss solutions to the low birth rate problem and propose policies. The seminar on the 30th of this month is open to anyone interested in population issues and immigration policy, and pre-registration is available until the 23rd.