Japanese Scholar: "Even After Having Children, Supporting Unfamiliar Elderly... Becoming Slaves Is Why It's 'Hell Joseon'"

Sakikawa Shimazawa, Professor of Economics at Kanto Gakuin University
"Japan is similar... Without measures, it will become 'Hell Japan'"

A Japanese economic expert focused on the phenomenon of young Koreans renouncing their nationality and published an article titled "'Koreans escaping from Hell Joseon, is Japan just a bystander across the river?'"

The Frustration and Anger of Youth: The 'Hell Joseon' Phenomenon
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Professor Shimazawa Saki from the Faculty of Economics at Kanto Gakuin University wrote in a Yahoo Japan column on the 21st, "In South Korea, with a total population of less than 52 million, about 20,000 people on average renounce their nationality every year."

He added, "In fact, similar news has already been reported in Japan," referring to media reports that the number of Japanese acquiring overseas permanent residency increased by 19,372 compared to the previous year.

Professor Shimazawa pointed out, "Coincidentally, the number of people escaping abroad from both Korea and Japan is similar at 20,000, but since Japan's population is more than twice as large, the situation in Korea is more serious, equivalent to about 40,000 in Japan."

"A pyramid scheme-like social security system... They should not be treated like slaves"

On January 4th, citizens are praying with masks on at Kanda Myojin Shrine in Tokyo, Japan, to welcome the New Year. [Image source=Yonhap News]

He criticized, "The lack of hope for tomorrow is not only among young Koreans but also among today's young Japanese. Even if children are born in Japan, if those children are treated like slaves to maintain a pyramid scheme-like social security system supporting unrelated elderly people, a bright future cannot be envisioned."

He said, "The term 'Hell Joseon' emerged around 2015 in Korea, and since then, the atmosphere of escaping abroad has spread. If 'Hell Japan' becomes a reality, the number of people abandoning Japan and migrating overseas will increase."

"'Hell Joseon' is not someone else's problem... 'Hell Japan' could also become a reality"

Furthermore, he emphasized, "We should not stand by like bystanders watching quietly the movement of 'renouncing nationality' quietly progressing in neighboring Korea. Japan must carefully consider what to do now to prevent the same from happening and put it into action."

Meanwhile, 'Hell Joseon' is a term combining the English word for hell and 'Joseon,' referring to Korea, used negatively to describe Korean society where life is difficult despite hard work.

According to a 2019 survey by the Korean Women's Development Institute of 5,000 adult men and women, 80.6% of young respondents considered Korean society to be Hell Joseon. In other words, 8 out of 10 people perceive Korea as Hell Joseon.

In the same survey, 75.4% responded that they would like to leave Korea if given the opportunity ('escape Joseon'), and 85.3% agreed with the statement "a dirt spoon cannot catch up with a golden spoon."