Yoon "Declares 'National Population Emergency' Effective Today... Male Parental Leave Rate to Reach 50% Within Term"

Renaming the Low Birthrate Response Planning Department to 'Population Strategy Planning Department'
Directly Presiding Over the Second Meeting of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the 2024 Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee meeting held on the 19th at the HD Hyundai Global R&D Center Asan Hall in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, under the theme of "Measures to Reverse the Low Birthrate Trend." [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol declared on the 19th, "As of today, we officially declare a 'National Population Emergency' and will activate a nationwide all-out response system until the low birthrate issue is overcome." He added, "We will significantly increase the male parental leave usage rate, currently only 6.8%, to around 50% within my term, and introduce a new parental leave system that can be used in short periods of two weeks."

President Yoon also stated, "The name of the Low Birthrate Response Planning Department will be changed to the 'Population Strategy Planning Department,' and the minister will serve as the Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs to establish a mid- to long-term national development strategy concerning population, including low birthrate, aging society, and immigration policies."

On the afternoon of the same day, President Yoon presided over the '2024 Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee Meeting' at HD Hyundai Asan Hall in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, with the theme of 'Measures to Reverse the Low Birthrate Trend.' This meeting was the second time President Yoon, the chairman of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee, personally presided since March last year, convened to discuss extraordinary measures to reverse the low birthrate trend.

In his opening remarks, President Yoon expressed concern, saying, "The population crisis caused by ultra-low birthrate is the most fundamental and fatal problem among the various difficulties our society currently faces," and added, "We are in a situation where we must worry about the survival of the Republic of Korea due to rapid population decline." He also referenced the history of ancient Sparta, which is said to have perished due to a great earthquake and extreme competitive systems leading to population decline.

Establishment of the 'Population Strategy Planning Department'... Playing a Strong Control Tower Role

First, President Yoon confirmed the name of the Low Birthrate Response Planning Department, which was announced at the two-year anniversary press conference in May, as the Population Strategy Planning Department. He stated, "Like the former Economic Planning Board, the Population Strategy Planning Department will be granted prior review authority over low birthrate budgets and prior consultation rights on local government projects to perform a strong control tower role."

President Yoon explained, "After coldly reevaluating past low birthrate policies and thoroughly investigating both successful and failed cases overseas, we reached the conclusion that policy efforts should be concentrated on three core areas: work-family balance, childcare, and housing." He emphasized, "Regardless of company size or employment type, anyone should be able to work while simultaneously managing childbirth and childcare when needed."

As a drastic measure, the plan is to dramatically raise the current 6.8% male parental leave usage rate to about 50% within his term. Parental leave pay will also be significantly increased to 2.5 million KRW per month for the first three months.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the 2024 Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee meeting held on the 19th at the HD Hyundai Global R&D Center Asan Hall in Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, under the theme of "Measures to Reverse the Low Birthrate Trend." [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon promised, "We will allow employees to apply for maternity leave and parental leave together without workplace pressure, and extend paternity leave from 10 to 20 days to establish a social atmosphere where both mothers and fathers can balance work and childcare."

He also said, "Parents should be able to sufficiently care for their children during essential times, such as when the child is sick," and announced, "We will expand the age range for reduced working hours during childcare from 8 to 12 years old and introduce a new parental leave system that can be used in short periods of two weeks." He added, "By providing employers with a monthly subsidy of 1.2 million KRW to hire replacement workers for employees on parental leave, the government will share the burden with colleagues and companies."

President Yoon stated that the country will shift to public care responsible for child-rearing, completing state responsibility for children aged 0 to 11 within his term. To this end, he promised to realize free education and care for children aged 3 to 5 during his term and to enable all children in all grades at every elementary school nationwide to use the Neulbom Program as they wish.

For families with newborns, they will be given priority in housing allocation, with increased opportunities for additional subscriptions and a higher ratio of special supply for newborns. President Yoon said, "We will also ease housing cost concerns," adding, "We will provide low-interest loans for home purchases and jeonse deposits to newlyweds and expand additional preferential interest rates for each childbirth." Marriage tax credits will be added to reduce young people's marriage expenses, and child tax credits will also be expanded.

President Yoon emphasized, "The low birthrate problem is a complex challenge intertwined with structural and cultural factors such as concentration in the metropolitan area and high anxiety and competitive pressure in our society, so it cannot be solved by focusing only on the three core areas." He pledged, "We will steadfastly pursue structural reforms including regional balanced development policies, employment, pensions, education, and medical reform."

Monthly 'Population Emergency Measures Meetings' Held... "Thorough Policy Review"

President Yoon said, "To fundamentally solve the low birthrate problem with a long-term perspective, it is essential to work together with the people," and added, "Until the Population Strategy Planning Department is launched, we will hold monthly 'Population Emergency Measures Meetings' centered on the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee to thoroughly review and ensure the implementation of the measures discussed today." He also requested cooperation from the National Assembly for the prompt launch of the Population Strategy Planning Department.

The meeting was attended by various policy stakeholders, including working mothers, fathers of multiple children, youth, parents, and business representatives, as well as appointed private members of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee. Government officials included Joo Hyung-hwan, Vice Chairman of the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee, and Choi Sang-mok, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance. Local government officials included Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongsangbuk-do, and Kang Eun-hee, Superintendent of Daegu Education Office. From the National Assembly, Jeong Jeom-sik, Policy Chair of the People Power Party, and Kim Jeong-jae, Chair of the Low Birthrate Response Special Committee of the People Power Party, participated. From the Presidential Office, Jang Sang-yoon, Senior Secretary for Social Affairs, was present.

Before the main meeting, President Yoon visited the HD Hyundai workplace daycare center, guided by Kwon Oh-gap, Chairman of HD Hyundai, where he participated in physical activities and paper doll-making programs with the children and encouraged the daycare center’s students, director, and teachers. During the physical activity session, President Yoon personally served as the referee for the children's tug-of-war game.