[Initial Moment] Let's Stop Hatred Before It Disappears

North Korea has reached a stage where it demonstrates nuclear power not only on land and in the air but also at sea by completing underwater nuclear weapons. However, South Korea's digital world remains peaceful. Rather than fear of South Korea turning into a sea of fire, ridicule and criticism dominate, focusing on how much weight North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un has gained or what brand of watch he is wearing. Compared to the frequently launched 'projectiles,' this weapon development is considerably more serious. Yet, the financial market also appears completely unaffected.

The war may not be between North and South Korea, but between men and women. 'Gender' is a hot issue that never cools down in the internet world throughout the year. Articles on gender topics are always read. Community posts where male speakers express hatred toward women and posts where women mirror that hatred back to men are both the same. Any article on gender sparks a fierce comment war. The conflict is so intense and provocative that it is hard to ignore from the perspective of those who live off issues. What disarms the principles of 'journalism' that one would firmly want to uphold is not North Korea but the terrifying volatility of gender issues.

South Korea's birth rate has plunged to the bottom and is heading toward the Earth's mantle. The total fertility rate (the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime) recorded 0.78 last year according to Statistics Korea. South Korea is the only country in the world with a fertility rate below 1. Assuming the current trend continues, the population will shrink to one-third every generation. The national extinction theory, which arises from the unprecedentedly severe low birthrate worldwide, is not an exaggeration.

The government points to various factors such as income, education expenses, and housing prices as causes for the declining birthrate. These figures are persuasive. At the same time, it is a difficult task to make men and women lower their weapons aimed at each other. Politics, which should mediate interests, has neglected its fundamental role and instead has fanned the flames of conflict between men and women, using that anger as political momentum.

The practically only immediate solution is immigration. One of the other notable news items last week was about Canada's population growth. For the first time in recorded statistics, Canada's population increased by more than one million in a year. If the current growth rate is maintained, the population is expected to double within 26 years. Ninety-six percent of the increased population were immigrants. However, it is uncertain whether this will be effective in South Korea.

"Immigration causes skyrocketing real estate prices and security concerns, right? Don't the citizens there oppose immigration policies?" I asked a Canadian English teacher who has been living in South Korea for six years. He replied, "It's somewhat true that real estate prices have surged. But that's the government's fault. The government did not actively increase housing supply in proportion to the number of immigrants accepted." Canadian society did not attack immigrants. Their anger was directed at the government. This is why Canada's immigration policy has been successful.

The South Korean government is also maintaining a relatively open attitude toward immigration and seeking policy alternatives. But hatred is contagious. It is only a matter of time before gender conflicts escalate into racial conflicts. Whether it is immigration or anything else, it must be remembered that no attempt can succeed as long as the politics of hatred remain the dominant sentiment.