High-Level 'Gukmin WE Committee' Launched... Discussing Low Birthrate with Unmarried Youth and Newlyweds

Launch of High-Level National Monitoring Group

The Presidential Committee on Ageing Society and Population Policy announced on the 6th that it held the launch ceremony of the citizen monitoring group 'Gukmin WEwonhoe' at the Dae-yang AI Center of Sejong University.

As part of efforts to strengthen responses to the rapidly declining birthrate issue, plans are underway to elevate the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee to a formal government ministry. The photo shows government officials arriving at the Government Seoul Office Building on the 10th. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

Gukmin WEwonhoe is a citizen monitoring group established to evaluate the 'Measures to Reverse the Low Birthrate Trend' announced by the government last June and to discover policies with high public awareness. It consists of about 200 members, including unmarried young adults in their 20s and 30s, newlywed and childless couples, infertile couples, and couples with children, who are the policy demanders.

At the launch ceremony, about 200 participants were divided into 20 subgroups to discuss the seriousness of population issues, improving awareness of marriage, childbirth, and childcare, and ways to share a social consensus that "having and raising children is happiness," thereby discussing the direction of measures to reverse the low birthrate trend.

Gukmin WEwonhoe will hold policy discussion sessions on the 3rd and 9th of next month after pre-studying government measures related to low birthrate, expert presentations, and research materials. Afterwards, activities such as evaluating the effectiveness and public perception of low birthrate measures, identifying policy improvements, and proposing policy ideas will be conducted, followed by a year-end performance report meeting. An online communication channel, a Naver Cafe, will also be opened to operate continuous learning, discussions, and community activities, and outstanding participants will be selected.

Joo Hyung-hwan, the Vice Chairman of the committee, said, "The launch of Gukmin WEwonhoe is a declaration of the government's intention to listen to public opinions and reflect the difficulties felt by policy demanders in policies," adding, "Gukmin WEwonhoe will actively serve as a bridge and convey the voices of the people to the government."