#South korea population free#

The steps Korea takes to tackle its demographic dilemma will be closely watched by nations on track to encounter their own death crosses. 'The life of each individual soldier is now more precious than ever.' 'It makes more sense to have a robot killed than a human,' says Mr Jeon Young-jin, chief robot developer at Hanwha. Hanwha Defence, an arms manufacturer, figures that robots could cut by as much as 60 per cent the number of personnel required for dangerous operations. At sea, tests with unmanned mine-hunting vessels are under way. Korea is throwing its technological might at the problem, developing unmanned vehicles that can transport ammunition or wounded soldiers and even wage combat on their own, along with robots programmed to detect mines and underground tunnels. These days perhaps the biggest threat to South Korea's 640,000-strong force stands not across the border but within its own boundaries: Troop numbers are expected to shrink by a third in less than two decades as the population ages. South Korea has one of the world's largest armies, but the number of conscripts has been declining for almost a decade. In a country locked in an armed standoff with North Korea, the population shifts are especially pertinent for the military.ДЄccording to the World Bank, North Korea's fertility rate per woman was 1.9 in 2019, while South Korea's was 0.9.

Globally, one in six people will be over age 65 by 2050, compared with one in 11 last year. Almost half of the country's cities are at risk of drastic depopulation within 30 years, according to the Korea Employment Information Service, while some universities are already facing a stark drop-off in enrolments. Now they are left grappling with demographic change. It is not just the size of the labour force that is at stake.ДЄcross Korea, institutions once functioned on the assumption that the nation's population would grow steadily. The shrinking working population weakens our foundation for growth and increases burdens on young people.' 'Ageing is a global issue, but it's happening at a tremendous pace in our country. 'We've tried to raise the fertility rate in various ways, but it hasn't been easy, and we now have no choice but to accept what's coming and deal with it,' says Ms Na Yoon-jung, a Finance Ministry official overseeing population policy.

In January, a pan-government task force on population policy identified 13 key issues to tackle this year - from addressing the greying manufacturing workforce to helping rural cities where populations are in decline. The government has proposed easing strict immigration regulations to bring in more foreign workers, including engineers needed to keep companies such as Samsung Electronics feeding the world's voracious demand for computer chips. Now the government has decided to change tack, shifting the policy focus away from reversing population decline and toward finding a way to live with it.ДЄ new two-track approach still seeks to encourage more births to ensure a future workforce that is sizeable enough to sustain its pension system, but there is increased attention on encouraging women and seniors to stay in the labour force or open new businesses. Related Story Ciao ciao bambini: Italy's plummeting birth rate It even arranged group blind dates for public servants in the hope it would lead to more marriages.

#South korea population free#

Like many other governments around the world, Seoul has been providing tens of billions of dollars in incentives, ranging from free nurseries to subsidised pay during child-care leave. South Korea has been trying to do something about its falling fertility rate for decades. 'While efforts are being made to boost the fertility rate, countries also need to simultaneously prepare to deal with the challenges posed by falling birthrates.' 'The problem of declining population is no longer a future challenge it is a current reality in many economies,' says Ms Sonal Varma, chief economist for India and Asia (except Japan) at Nomura Holdings in Singapore. The share of people 65 or older in southern Asia and northern Africa may also double to one in eightВ and one in nine, respectively. Ageing is more acute in the developed world - oneВ in four people in Canada, Europe, and the United States may be 65 or over by then, while one in sixВ could be that old in Latin America and the Caribbean.