'Why Do They Choose Not to Have Children?'... 3rd East Asia Youth Studies Colloquium Held at National Pukyong University

Jointly Hosted by the Global China Research Institute
Keynote Presentation by Professor Kim Hongjoong of Seoul National University

Why do they choose not to have children? This direct question served as the main theme of the Youth Studies Colloquium.

The HK3.0 Project Group at the Global China Research Institute of National Pukyong University (headed by Lee Bogo) held the "3rd East Asia Youth Studies Colloquium" on October 21 in Room 509 of the Humanities and Social Sciences Management Building.

On this day, Kim Hongjoong, a professor in the Department of Sociology at Seoul National University, gave a presentation titled "Why Do They Choose Not to Have Children?" He introduced an interview-based study exploring the reasons why young people living in the era of climate crisis are deciding to stop having children. He presented three main symptoms that emerged from the research.

First, Professor Kim pointed out that young people’s sense of impending catastrophe in the coming era leads them to postpone or forgo childbirth. Second, he explained that based on an attitude of reflective non-birth, even as they anticipate future catastrophe, having children is perceived as an anxious choice and as an irresponsible act toward the child to be born.

Third, he noted that young people regard unborn future children as potential agents, and because they are not free from this mandate from the future, the decision to have children is fundamentally constrained.

Professor Kim Hongjoong emphasized, "Rather than reducing today’s youth issues to mere social pathology or individual problems, it is necessary to approach them as a symptomatology of the times."

Following the presentation, Professors Kim Seongi and Park Eunhye from the HK3.0 Project Group at the Global China Research Institute of National Pukyong University participated as designated discussants and engaged in a discussion.

The Global China Research Institute at National Pukyong University organized the event together with the Northeast Asia Center at the Asia Research Institute of Seoul National University to promote the research vision of East Asian Youth Studies and to seek future alternatives with young people through youth studies research.

Participants of the 3rd East Asia Youth Studies Colloquium held at the National Pukyong University.