"Who would have a child when the company gives you a hard time?"
"Equal benefits and support should be provided even if only one child is born"
Comedian Jung Sung-ho, famous as the father of five children, has sparked attention by revealing his honest thoughts on low birthrate policies.
Comedian Jung Sung-ho shared his thoughts on the government's low birthrate policy. [Photo by JTBC News YouTube]
On the 3rd, Jung Sung-ho appeared on JTBC's 'Newsroom' to discuss the government's low birthrate measures.
During the broadcast, Jung Sung-ho said, "Having a lot of things doesn't mean you will have children," adding, "If having children depended on having a lot of money, then corporate chairmen today would have 1,000 or 10,000 children."
Jung Sung-ho stated, "(After childbirth) parents have to sacrifice and hold their children, but sacrifice doesn't mean spending money," and explained, "What I am saying is to change the environment so that fathers and mothers can make sacrifices."
He continued, "They tell you to sacrifice, but at work, you have to come in cautiously," pointing out, "If you take six months off, they say, 'What did you say? We told you not to hire because you got married.' Who would want to have children under those circumstances?"
Jung Sung-ho also criticized low birthrate policies that focus only on multiple children, emphasizing that equal benefits and support should be given even if one child is born.
He said, "If you have one child and think, 'This is manageable, so I can have another,' then another child will come," adding, "Having one child is already hard, but no one will say, 'If you have a second child, we'll give you an apartment. Let's go buy an apartment tonight.'
Jung Sung-ho also argued that the environment around children should be changed so they can grow up safely.
He pointed out the problem, saying, "In the past, entertainment businesses could not be built within a few meters of schools, but that has long disappeared nowadays," and added, "So parents end up telling their children, 'Hey, where are you going? Don't go out.'"
Finally, Jung Sung-ho concluded by questioning, "This is the reality for parents, but is it possible to say, 'South Korea is a great country to live in, so have children and let them play outside until 6 o'clock'?"
Meanwhile, South Korea's total fertility rate in the first quarter of this year recorded a historic low of 0.81, the lowest level for a first quarter.
Lim Young-il, head of the Population Trends Division at Statistics Korea, said, "If the declining trend continues as in the first quarter, the annual number of births is expected to be around 230,000," adding, "However, it may vary depending on the impact of the increasing number of marriages since August last year as the COVID-19 situation has eased."
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