City-sponsored dating in South Korea
Seongnam, South Korea
Hailey Brown -Fertility rates are falling around the world. Over the last three years, South Korea has repeatedly recorded the lowest fertility rate of any country. Its current rate sits at 0.78. So, why, when we hear that the world’s population is growing too fast for our resources to keep up, is a low fertility rate a cause for concern? In countries like South Korea, a rapidly aging society paired with a low fertility rate can have significant consequences on society.
Population is a direct facet of material power. A country’s population drives the economy and workforce. Aging populations lead to a decline in working-age individuals, bringing many related issues. Without enough workers, economies can underperform, losing productivity and falling behind on the global stage. Fewer workers mean fewer taxpayers, leading to decreased funding for the government’s budget. This in turn weakens social security or similar programs, as more individuals are benefitting from the programs than are paying into them. For a country's population to remain stable from generation to generation, it must have a total fertility rate that matches replacement rates. In most places, this equals a fertility rate of 2.1. At 0.78, South Korea is well below this threshold. And while its population is already declining, the full ramifications of such a low fertility rate are unknown.
The situation in South Korea has led many cities to host blind-dating events. Whether these events will successfully boost the birth rate is uncertain, as more factors may be holding individuals back from having children. The Mayor of Seongman told the New York Times “I think it’s the local governments’ role to create the conditions for people who do want to get married to find their partners.” His city’s blind-dating event received over 1,000 applicants, but only 100 people were able to participate. Participants say they enjoy the events, but it might not be the push they need to consider having kids. Researchers agree, saying more social and economic changes need to occur for South Korea’s fertility rate to rise.
Image source: Iscream icecream, CC BY-SA 4.0
