South Korea's demographic crisis in numbers
South Korea records 0.8 children per woman while its northern neighbour holds steady at 1.78. Is the South Korean model on the brink of collapse?
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
South vs North: the demographic battle nobody wants to win
A video of an empty bus stop in Seoul has sparked a debate that goes far beyond the anecdotal. Behind the image of a deserted shelter lies a demographic crisis with dizzying numbers.
0.8 children per woman: the rate that frightens a nation
South Korea has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world: 0.8 children per woman. With 51 million inhabitants and a density of 531 people/km², the decline is more than a statistic. Within 30 years, the population will be mostly elderly and the workforce will have been cut in half.
The northern neighbour: better or worse off?
Meanwhile, North Korea has kept a rate of 1.78 children per woman for the past 15 years. However, the reliability of its figures is more than doubtful. The news agency EFE reported in December 2023 that birth rates are also falling in the North, and the North Korean leader himself has publicly admitted his concern, tears in his eyes.
Collapse or adjustment?
Some argue that South Korea's high population density allows it to absorb a demographic contraction without drastic consequences. Others warn that the pace of decline is unsustainable and that the only long-term solution is immigration, something that clashes with the country's ethnic homogeneity. The debate is open, and the empty bus stop is just a metaphor for an uncertain future.
Related discussions in the forum
A video of an empty bus stop in Seoul has sparked a debate that goes far beyond the anecdotal. Behind the image of a deserted shelter lies a demographic crisis with dizzying numbers.
0.8 children per woman: the rate that frightens a nation
South Korea has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world: 0.8 children per woman. With 51 million inhabitants and a density of 531 people/km², the decline is more than a statistic. Within 30 years, the population will be mostly elderly and the workforce will have been cut in half.
The northern neighbour: better or worse off?
Meanwhile, North Korea has kept a rate of 1.78 children per woman for the past 15 years. However, the reliability of its figures is more than doubtful. The news agency EFE reported in December 2023 that birth rates are also falling in the North, and the North Korean leader himself has publicly admitted his concern, tears in his eyes.
Collapse or adjustment?
Some argue that South Korea's high population density allows it to absorb a demographic contraction without drastic consequences. Others warn that the pace of decline is unsustainable and that the only long-term solution is immigration, something that clashes with the country's ethnic homogeneity. The debate is open, and the empty bus stop is just a metaphor for an uncertain future.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (24 replies).
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