Ruling Party and Government to Propose Bill in July to Establish Population Strategy Planning Department as 'Low Birthrate Control Tower'

The government has decided to establish a Deputy Prime Minister-level Population Strategy Planning Department to address low birth rates and aging population, and plans to propose related legislation next month.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is speaking at the high-level party-government-parliament consultation meeting held on the morning of the 30th at the Prime Minister's official residence in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. (Photo by Yonhap News)

On the morning of the 30th, the People Power Party, the government, and the Presidential Office (Party-Government-Presidential Office) held a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence in Samcheong-dong and reached this consensus, People Power Party Chief Spokesperson Kwak Gyu-taek said at a National Assembly briefing. Chief Spokesperson Kwak stated, "We have decided to swiftly propose and promote amendments to the Government Organization Act, which includes the establishment of the Population Strategy Planning Department, and the Framework Act on Low Birth Rate and Aging Society, which contains provisions on the allocation and adjustment authority of the low birth rate project budget, within July."

Chief Spokesperson Kwak further explained, "The Population Strategy Planning Department will be responsible for establishing mid- to long-term national development strategies related to population, planning and evaluating population policies, allocating and adjusting the low birth rate project budget, and performing the functions of the Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs, while specific policies and projects will be handled by each ministry."

He added, "The Party-Government-Presidential Office agreed that the newly established Population Strategy Planning Department must have strong policy planning, coordination, and evaluation functions and responsibly perform the role of a control tower."

In this regard, the People Power Party plans to propose a comprehensive amendment to the Framework Act on Low Birth Rate and Aging Society, granting the minister of the Population Strategy Planning Department substantial authority over the overall coordination of population policies, prior review and evaluation of the low birth rate budget, and feedback requirements.

Based on the discussions held on this day, the government plans to hold a joint briefing with relevant ministries on July 1 regarding the government organization reform plan.

Meanwhile, the Party-Government-Presidential Office agreed to promptly provide industrial accident compensation insurance payments to the bereaved families related to the fire at the Arisel factory in Hwaseong. Additionally, to prevent recurrence, they decided to promote measures including ▲ inspection of similar hazardous factories and facilities ▲ fire safety education for non-regular and foreign workers ▲ review of fire resistance enhancement measures for factory building finishing materials ▲ and review of fire-fighting facility standards.