"Egg and Sperm Age Tests During Health Checkups... Bold Measures Needed" [K Population Strategy]

(47) Interview with Lee In-sil, Director of the Korean Peninsula Future Population Research Institute
"Government should give 1 million won per month like France"
Corporate burden should be eased through human capital investment tax credits

Editor's NoteThe key to solving South Korea's population problem lies within companies. A workplace atmosphere that evaluates employees based on their work regardless of gender and a family-friendly culture are crucial to addressing the K-population issue. Although low birth rates result from complex factors, it is important to ensure that workplace burdens do not become obstacles that make people hesitate to have children. Asia Economy plans to visit companies leading family-friendly policies to identify the points where these systems have been stably established and to explore multifaceted solutions with companies that lack practical conditions. Through this, we aim to encourage change starting from companies and analyze the government's role in enabling this. We listen to voices emphasizing that company culture and atmosphere that reduce psychological burdens are more critical than financial support, and propose alternatives from various perspectives.

Lee In-sil, Director of the Korean Peninsula Future Population Research Institute. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

"Including tests to measure the age of women's eggs and men's sperm in the National Health Insurance Corporation's health checkup items is also a method."

On the 20th, Lee In-sil, Director of the Korean Peninsula Future Population Research Institute, whom we met in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, repeatedly emphasized the need for the government to implement the most robust 'bold measures' possible to address the low birth rate issue. Despite some upgrades, she explained that policies on low birth rates that still follow past approaches will not be effective in an era where the total fertility rate is 0.78.

The claim that "the government should bear the cost of measuring individuals' egg and sperm age" was made in the same context. Director Lee said, "As the marriage age is delayed, the period during which women seriously consider childbearing within their fertile years has become shorter compared to the past. Many end up choosing a childless life because they unintentionally miss the timing," adding, "This method stems from the idea that the government should take the lead so individuals can sufficiently contemplate and plan for childbirth."

She explained that by understanding their own situation, individuals can choose to extend their pregnancy timing through egg freezing. Egg freezing is a method where eggs are extracted and frozen before ovarian aging, then thawed when desired to attempt pregnancy through in vitro fertilization. The number of egg freezing procedures for unmarried women collected from five infertility centers under the Cha Hospital Group was only 72 in 2015 but exceeded 1,000 in 2021 and continues to increase annually. Local governments are also expanding support for egg freezing as a measure to increase birth rates. Seoul City decided to extend support for egg freezing, previously available only to women in their 30s and 40s, to women in their 20s with up to 2 million KRW.

Director Lee said, "Our government should now consider measures like France, which provides 1 million KRW per month in child allowances until the child turns 18." She also strongly emphasized the need to improve systems such as expanding paternity leave, preventing women's career breaks, and promoting flexible work to create a culture where work and family coexist.

Regarding the recent news about Booyoung Group's decision to provide 100 million KRW in childbirth support funds, she said, "It is hopeful because it is a voluntary participation by the company and has increased government interest in support measures." She stressed, "Since the government is dealing with something companies started with good intentions, it should consider incentives for both individuals and companies," adding, "Family-friendly companies should be granted tax reductions through amendments to the Restriction of Special Taxation Act by providing tax credits for human capital investment, so support does not end as a one-time aid."

As an economist, Director Lee was the first woman to serve as Commissioner of Statistics Korea and President of the Korean Economic Association. Since the launch of Hanmiyeon in 2022, she has served as its inaugural director. She is dedicated to finding solutions through research and seminars related to low birth rates.

World's Lowest Birth Rate... How Did We Get Here?

Director Lee pointed to the gender wage gap and the dual labor market structure as the main causes of the declining birth rate. She said, "By 2013, Korean women had already surpassed men in university enrollment rates," adding, "Employment rates for women in their 20s and 30s are also relatively high." However, she explained that women's income levels have decreased as many quit their jobs after marriage and childbirth.

She expressed regret, saying, "After quitting work due to childcare, most women cannot earn more than the cost of using childcare services when seeking a second job," adding, "OECD countries generally no longer have an M-shaped curve, but only Korea is clearly moving backward."

According to an OECD report on gender equality released last year, the gender gap in economic activity participation rates among the population aged 15 to under 65 in Korea was 18.1 percentage points in 2021, 7.2 percentage points higher than the OECD average of 10.9 percentage points. Korea was among the bottom eight countries with large gender gaps.

Lee In-sil, Director of the Korean Peninsula Future Research Institute. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

Director Lee also viewed the dual-structured labor market as a problem. The dual structure refers to a labor market where wage and working condition disparities are entrenched. Women who quit their jobs due to childcare and then work as non-regular or part-time employees find it difficult to re-enter the original labor market, even if they previously worked as regular employees.

Such complex situations related to childbirth and childcare ultimately lead to low birth rates. Director Lee said, "Non-regular workers have a very low probability of moving to regular positions," adding, "Although the U.S. lacks proper work-family balance systems, one reason it prospers is that regardless of attending a good university or the first job, if you work hard, you can move to new jobs or careers without much difficulty." In contrast, she said, "In Korea, once you enter the primary labor market (large company regular employees, public officials), you survive, but if you fall into the secondary labor market, it is very difficult to return to the primary one." She also added, "The dual labor market issue is connected to youth problems."

She pointed out the limitations of rapid industrialization and urban concentration, which were not accompanied by timely policy decisions. Director Lee cited Harvard professor Claudia Goldin, a Nobel laureate in economics, who analyzed women's group classification over the past 120 years, saying, "In Korea, women from groups 1 to 5 live together in one generation." Professor Goldin analyzed that American college-educated women prioritized career and family differently by era. While women in the 1880s mostly had to choose either career or family (Group 1), women born in the 1960s (Group 5) wanted to prioritize careers while also building families.

Unlike overseas countries that had opportunities to revise systems according to changing groups as industrialization progressed, Korea's 100 years of growth and resulting conflicts have been compressed, causing policies to lag behind changes. Director Lee lamented, "Even now, individuals with different values are voicing their opinions separately," adding, "We have reached a point where coexistence is impossible without institutional determination." She said, "Decision-makers are from the older generation, but we must constantly tell them to make decisions based on the lives of young people."

Childbirth Is a Citizen's Right, Laws Defining It as a 'Duty' Must Change First

Director Lee criticized, "The Low Birthrate and Aging Society Basic Act (Article 5) states childbirth as a citizen's duty," adding, "Having and raising children is a happiness humans possess, and it should be preserved as a right, so how can it be said to be a responsibility?" She said, "How can a country with such a legal concept achieve work-family balance?"

She said that to encourage paternity leave, companies should create an atmosphere where employees do not feel pressured, and the government should establish detailed systems for mid-sized and small businesses and self-employed people who lack resources. She emphasized, "Introducing systems like in Nordic countries, where unused paternal leave within the period is forfeited, will bring change," adding, "Parents must experience it together to move forward together."

Director Lee advocated for creating a 'Low Birthrate Special Account.' She said, "Whenever there is a national agenda, special accounts have been created and managed," adding, "Although social discussions are needed, now is the time to have a special account for the low birthrate issue." She expressed, "Although tens of trillions of won have been spent to solve low birth rates, family expenditure budgets have not significantly increased," and stressed, "Financial expenditure should be focused on places where childbirth is certain." She emphasized, "Since the employment insurance fund may be depleted someday, a special account must be created to establish countermeasures."

She also argued that systems should be established to allow employees to continue their work after returning from parental leave to prevent career breaks. Director Lee said, "There should be no discrimination in promotion after using parental leave," adding, "Work should be possible through part-time or telecommuting." She explained, "Working longer at a company does not mean doing all the work well," and "Loyalty should not be judged solely by the length of time at a position. Discrimination resulting from this should be reduced."

Director Lee repeatedly emphasized that it is time to implement bold policies related to low birth rates. She said, "Young people should think, 'The government is really determined,' and 'They provide solid support until the child grows up,'" adding, "Try symbolically giving 1 million KRW until the child turns 18." She estimated that about 2 billion KRW per child would be required and said funding could be secured "through local fiscal education grants."

She argued that, just as the government introduced a physical capital investment tax credit system in the 1960s to accumulate capital, a kind of human capital tax credit benefit should be provided to family-friendly companies responding to low birth rates. She predicted, "If government support becomes more certain, companies will create work-family balance systems and cultures to the extent that they can proudly disclose their birth rates."

Special Coverage Team 'K-Population Strategy - Gender Equality Is the Answer'

Reporters: Kim Yuri, Lee Hyun-joo, Jung Hyun-jin, Boo Ae-ri, Gong Byung-seon, Park Jun-i, Song Seung-seop
Kim Pil-su, Economic and Financial Editor