"If This Continues, Everyone Will Die"... Musk Specifically Criticizes Low Birthrate in Korea

Diagnosing Civilization at Risk Due to Declining Birth Rates
Suggests Possible U.S. Intervention in Falling Birth Rate Issue

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the second administration of Donald Trump, diagnosed that Western civilization is in crisis due to the declining birth rate in the United States, mentioning South Korea's low birth rate issue. On the 28th (local time), Musk emphasized the risks of declining birth rates and the role of the U.S. in sustaining Western civilization during an interview with Fox News. He particularly referred to the declining birth rate issue as an "existential problem," warning that civilization could collapse if the U.S. does not intervene.

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the second term of the Donald Trump administration, diagnosed that Western civilization is in crisis due to the decline in birth rates in the United States, mentioning South Korea's low birth rate issue. AP·Yonhap News

During the Fox News interview, the host asked Musk, "What is the biggest thing that keeps you up at night?" Musk emphasized, "The fact that birth rates are plummeting in the U.S. and elsewhere." He stressed, "Unless that changes, civilization will disappear," adding, "Nothing seems able to reverse it. Humanity is dying."

Pointing out that the U.S. recently recorded its lowest birth rate ever, Musk mentioned South Korea. He explained, "South Korea's birth rate is only one-third of the replacement level, and the situation is worsening," adding, "This means that in three generations, South Korea will be only 3 to 4% of its current size." He defined the U.S. as "the pillar of Western civilization," stating, "If the pillar fails, everything ends," and also evaluated, "As long as the U.S. remains the land of freedom and opportunity, there is great potential for the future." However, while arguing that population decline is an existential crisis, Musk did not advocate for one of the most immediate solutions, expanding immigration. Instead, he has focused on encouraging higher birth rates within Western countries.

This is not the first time Musk has expressed serious concern about South Korea's declining birth rate. In September last year, he cited a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article on X, pointing out that "South Korea, along with Hong Kong, is experiencing the fastest population cliff in the world." Asia Economy

This is not the first time Musk has expressed serious concern about South Korea's declining birth rate. In September last year, citing a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article on X, he pointed out that "South Korea, along with Hong Kong, is experiencing the fastest population cliff in the world." He also shared graphs of South Korea's birth rate and age-specific population distribution on X in November last year and January this year, emphasizing the severity of the population cliff crisis South Korea faces. Musk is a father of 14 children, including his fourth child with Siobhan Gillis (39), an executive at the neurotechnology startup Neuralink, last month. Meanwhile, South Korea's total fertility rate was 0.81 in 2021, 0.78 in 2022, and 0.72 in 2023, continuing to decline before rebounding slightly to 0.75 last year?the first increase in nine years?but many analyses suggest that there is still a long way to go before escaping the population cliff crisis.