"No War Yet These Numbers... American Professor Criticizes That Childbirth Is Just a Bad Career Move in Korea Again"

Last Year's Annual Total Fertility Rate 0.72
"Truly Shocking... A National Emergency"

Last year, an American professor who sparked controversy by saying "South Korea is completely ruined" regarding the country's low birthrate issue recently criticized the problem again.

On the 29th, Joan Williams, Professor Emerita at the University of California, said in an interview with JTBC that upon hearing about South Korea's birthrate dropping even lower than the 2022 total fertility rate (0.78), she found it "truly shocking" and stated, "I have never seen such a low birthrate without a major epidemic or war. The numbers indicate a national emergency."

The total fertility rate refers to the expected number of children a woman will have in her lifetime. Last year's annual total fertility rate was 0.72, with quarterly rates of 0.82 in Q1, 0.71 in Q2 and Q3, and 0.65 in Q4.

Joan Williams, Professor Emerita at the University of California. [Image source=EBS Documentary 'Population Project: Ultra-Low Birthrate']

In particular, the number of births in the first quarter of this year was 60,474, a decrease of 3,994 (6.2%) compared to the same period last year. This is the lowest number recorded for any first quarter. Considering that births are usually higher at the beginning of the year and decrease toward the end, the total fertility rate for the remainder of this year is likely to decline further.

Professor Williams pointed out, "(Childbirth and parenting) were difficult for me and also for my daughter," but added, "We did not work in a workplace culture where extremely long working hours were the norm. It is strange that South Korea has such reasons causing low birthrates." She also highlighted that the situation in South Korea where someone has to give up their career to raise children is a significant loss for the country. Professor Williams said, "Considering South Korea trains young women but then they are pushed out of the labor market after becoming mothers, wasting GDP, it makes no economic sense," adding, "The careers of those who become non-regular workers end, and so does the country's economy."

Professor Williams stated, "Having children in South Korea is simply a very bad career move. In a society where material success is very important, people calculate," and criticized, "Prosperity comes first, so why would women make such a choice (to have children)? It is contradictory." In fact, a 2021 survey by the U.S. Pew Research Center of adults in 17 advanced countries found that while most countries answered "family" to the question "What makes life meaningful?", South Korea was the only country to choose "material wealth."

Previously, Professor Williams appeared in the 2022 EBS documentary "Population Project: Ultra-Low Birthrate" and was seen holding her head upon hearing South Korea's 2022 total fertility rate (0.78). At that time, she also said, "I have never heard of such a low fertility rate."